Hi. I'm new to the forum and new to shelties. I've had collies, usually 2 or 3 at a time, since 1987. In 2009, I adopted a beagle/schnauzer mix from a local shelter. A month ago, I adopted my first sheltie, so now I have a senior smooth collie, Sandy, a 2.5 year old beagle/schnauzer mix, Scamp, and a 4 year old sable male sheltie, Willie-Twister (he was named Twister, we are renaming him Willie, and the rescue organization advised using both names for a while, and then gradually dropping the name you don't want).
Here's the problem. The sheltie is very shy, seems petrified of everything, including everyone in my house (except me) as well as the two other dogs. He has made a lot of progress in a month: he can eat out of a bowl, drink out of a bowl, take treats from my hand, mastered the stairs, and will come to me almost anytime I call (unless someone scary is close by). What he can't grasp is the concept that its not OK to poop or pee in the house. If I put him out when he needs to go, he'll go. But he does not try to tell me he needs to go out, and he doesn't make any signs that I can pick up on. Most "normal" dogs pace or circle when they need to go. This dog spends the vast majority of his timing doing laps around tables and I can't tell if its just is usual nervousness, or he needs to go out. Just about every morning, I let him out, and he pees outside. Then while I'm preparing his breakfast, or right after he eats, he does laps around the kitchen, and the poop just falls out - he doesn't even have to squat. Today was the first really nice day since I got him, and I discovered that he was afraid to go outside while the neighbors kids were playing in their yard that backs up to ours. I waited until the kids were gone to force him to go out, but it was too late. He had already lifted his leg on the kitchen cabinet (which is one of the "borders" of the area he regularly circles). I was in the kitchen the whole time and it happened so fast I didn't even see it. I say "force him to go out" because we have a dog door. He can go out anytime he wants. So far, he only goes out if he is afraid of someone in the house (he's had a really hard time warming up to my husband and 14-year old son), or if he is following the other dogs (since he is still a little afraid of them, this doesn't happen often, but I know it does when he's really excited).
I think he was probably housebroken at some point in his life. He is almost 4, and was an owner surrender (they said they had too many dogs) to a rescue, then adopted out to someone, then returned (for playing too rough), then went to another rescue, then to me.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I'm having a hard time figuring out what is "normal" sheltie behavior versus what might be due his history.
Here's the problem. The sheltie is very shy, seems petrified of everything, including everyone in my house (except me) as well as the two other dogs. He has made a lot of progress in a month: he can eat out of a bowl, drink out of a bowl, take treats from my hand, mastered the stairs, and will come to me almost anytime I call (unless someone scary is close by). What he can't grasp is the concept that its not OK to poop or pee in the house. If I put him out when he needs to go, he'll go. But he does not try to tell me he needs to go out, and he doesn't make any signs that I can pick up on. Most "normal" dogs pace or circle when they need to go. This dog spends the vast majority of his timing doing laps around tables and I can't tell if its just is usual nervousness, or he needs to go out. Just about every morning, I let him out, and he pees outside. Then while I'm preparing his breakfast, or right after he eats, he does laps around the kitchen, and the poop just falls out - he doesn't even have to squat. Today was the first really nice day since I got him, and I discovered that he was afraid to go outside while the neighbors kids were playing in their yard that backs up to ours. I waited until the kids were gone to force him to go out, but it was too late. He had already lifted his leg on the kitchen cabinet (which is one of the "borders" of the area he regularly circles). I was in the kitchen the whole time and it happened so fast I didn't even see it. I say "force him to go out" because we have a dog door. He can go out anytime he wants. So far, he only goes out if he is afraid of someone in the house (he's had a really hard time warming up to my husband and 14-year old son), or if he is following the other dogs (since he is still a little afraid of them, this doesn't happen often, but I know it does when he's really excited).
I think he was probably housebroken at some point in his life. He is almost 4, and was an owner surrender (they said they had too many dogs) to a rescue, then adopted out to someone, then returned (for playing too rough), then went to another rescue, then to me.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I'm having a hard time figuring out what is "normal" sheltie behavior versus what might be due his history.
I guess old habits die hard. Sometimes I will catch her spinning, and then I'll grab her leash and run her outside. As for trotting around the table, she does this whenever I'm in the kitchen, because she thinks I MUST be making her something to eat! 
Poor little soul doesn't have an ounce of sheltie instinct left, that I can tell anyway. 