Shelties do make great pets - very intelligent, so you do have to keep up with the training, wonderful around kids and adults, and they are beautiful. We've had a couple, but sadly are 'sheltie-less' right now, though we do have an SPCA special border collie/spaniel x. Hopefully I'll be able to get another one this coming year. I love them all, but am partial to the mahogany sable or blue merle.
The bitter apple does usually work, but if you want to try something else, I would suggest filling a spray bottle 50/50 with either a water/vinegar or water/lemon juice solution. If the dog gets this in his/her mouth or eyes, it won't harm them, but they won't like it. Our previous border x took to chewing on book bindings - don't ask me why - when she was a puppy, and all we did was spray the edges of the books, then put her mouth over the book and hold it there while spraying the book (and kind of into her mouth) again, all the while saying firmly 'No, Leave it'. It only took a couple of times of doing this, and she didn't want to go anywhere near a book.
When doing any sort of house training, whether it's a puppy or an older dog, I can't stress enough the value of a crate. It doesn't matter if it's one of the plastic ones or the metal mesh, this is an invaluable tool when it comes to housebreaking your dog for several reasons. Just make sure it's not too big for your dog (ie don't get one that can hold a german shepherd when all you have is a beagle).
First, a dog will NEVER soil where it sleeps, or close to where it sleeps. This goes back to the 'primal' instincts; soiling in or close to the den only attracts predators. It might take a week or so for the dog to realize that this is his bed, but once he does, unless he absolutely cannot hold it any longer, he will not make a mess.
Second, since he won't soil where he sleeps, this will help in teaching him to hold it. Obviously, every dog has a breaking point where he just can't wait any longer, but just like with kids, this is learned over time. When he's really young, make sure he can go out frequently (every few hours), but ultimately, he should be able to hold it for a full work day.
Third, when you can't properly supervise your dog, especially if he's just a puppy, the crate is a comforting, safe place for him to go. While he's in there, he cannot get into trouble. Make sure he has a toy or two, and something to chew on to keep him occupied, and a blanket is always nice.
Fourth, as your dog gets familiar with his crate, he will come to see it as his den; a safe place that he can go if he's tired, wants to get away from the hussle and bustle, or if he is unsure or scared. His crate will be a place of comfort, his own space. Our first border x, Oreo, was crate trained (for several reasons, we weren't able to crate train our second one; our shelties had all been house broken when we got them), and even though we ultimately put her crate away, if ever it was brought out, she right away went into it. It was actually hard to keep her out!
One word of caution though that I can't stress enough: If you do use crate training, NEVER EVER put your dog in the crate as a form of punishment. The crate is supposed to be a safe, happy place. If you put your dog inside as a punishment, he will very quickly come to resent the crate, and you will have nothing but problems.
If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact me. I'm not a breeder or professional by any means, but I do have extensive experience with dogs. If I can help, I'd be happy to.
