Hi and Welcome to YT!
First, I'd remove the crate and confine him in an Xpen or a spare room or the kitchen, with peepads, a bed and food and water. A young pup shouldn't have the run of the house, and needs confinement when you cannot be supervising him.
The main key times he will have to pee is 1st thing in the morning, after play and after a nap. Use these times to rush him outside to potty, or at least every 1-2 hours. Take a soiled peepad outside for him to use or use it to 'scent' a specific area you want him to use.
Feed him on a schedule, and time how long after he eats that he goes potty. Then start taking him out that long after his meals.
Watch him to learn his signals that he has to 'go'. Sniffing and/or circling are big ones, some pups are not that obvious though.
I would only use positive reinforcement on him at this point, I think anything negative may confuse him. Turn the praise up a few notches... make it like something he's never heard before so he knows he did something really special. I carried on so much when my girl finally did right, that finally she looked up at me like I was crazy, but when she realized I was just so happy, I saw a little glint in her eye and her expression changed, like she knew I was happy over what she had just done. Also give a treat.(something he can eat quickly like a tiny piece of chicken or a Cheerio).
Let us know how it's going... sometimes things don't work for some and plans need to be changed.... |