Reddit reviews Pet Trex 24" Exercise Playpen for Dogs Eight 24" x 30" High Panels with Gate

Peeing and pooping on grass probably seems weird to him. If he weren't from a puppy mill I'd say he sounds like a dog who has been punished for accidents in the house. I know it can be frustrating, but make sure no one gets upset with him when there's an accident.

Sadly I have a lot of experience with a dog going in the house. I have a rescue boy who was likely kenneled 24/7. For the first year and half he was too afraid to go outside. Hell, he didn't leave my kitchen for 6 months. I used an x-pen to give him a little more room. Instead of using puppy pads I bought cheap, rubber backed bathmats from Walmart. I had 10 of them. I bought a stack of bar towels from Sams Club. I also bought Natures Miracle by the barrel. In the beginning he only had room for his crate (which was open) and the bathmat. It left him little choice but to go there. Once that become his habit I got a second x-pen to increase the amount of room he had. When I got home. I'd bag the poop, toss the mat in the laundry and wash the floor in the x-pen area with Natures Miracle using the bar towels which then also went in the wash. I'd then spray a little Odiban in the room and that seemed to kill any lingering smell. Coming up with a system to clean up quickly and easily removed a lot of the stress. Since I didn't have a yard I sodded my garage so he'd have time to get used to the feel of grass. He was terrified of even being near the door go outside. I used to sit outside the door with his brother and sister on long leashes so they could play and I would leave the door open so he could hear us. Then one day I saw him laying in the background. A few days later he came charging outside to play. I have no idea what clicked for him, but it did. After a year and a half almost to the day. 8 years later I'd like to say he's perfectly house broken, but that's not the case. He hasn't pooped in the house since the day he joined us outside. I'd say about once every other month he has an accident. I keep a bathmat right in front of the door so if he can't hold it he goes there.

https://smile.amazon.com/Pet-Trex-Panel-24-30/dp/B0052HL3U2

I would keep him tethered to you 100% while you're in the house. The times where that is not possible put him in the x-pen. It does not feel like a crate and will give him space, without access to the whole room. Then I'd start potty training all over again from the beginning like you would with a puppy. Old dogs can still be trained, it just might take a little longer.

I don't know what you can tell your husband, but if you can speed up the cleaning time with an x-pen and bathmats it might buy you more time while the training is rebooted. You might want to look into a doggie daycare or dog walker so there is less mess to deal with.

I have a regular 2x5, but I needed a cheap summer cage for my bedroom (where the AC is) so I bought a foldable, moveable dog cage on Amazon for about $40 and use that.

I use fleece as the bedding (with towels underneath) and you can always put another absorbant layer or protector down ( such as an old sheet, shower liner, etc.). The cage just sits on top, with the fleece and towels tucked under each side so the piggies can't dig.

The way I have mine folded, it's 2x4, but you can put it into different shapes, make it longer or shorter, etc.

Edit: Here's the one I purchased, but there's other options available.