Help with puppy toilet training

Hi,

My husband and me adopted a 4 month rescue about a month back. I am a 9-5 WFH researcher while my husband works as a doctor at the hospital nearby. We live in an apartment in the first floor.

We had trained our dog to pee/poop in the balcony with pee pad since for first few days he refused to move from one spot under the sofa and also because we both work and couldn't carry him downstairs everytime. Now, he walks freely towards the main entrance.

We would like to transition him to do his toilet outside. We keep taking him out every two hours or whenever he starts to sniff. He started to pee in the car park for a week and now he refuses it. He doesn't do potty outside at all and does it inside the house/balcony as once as he enters home even after 2-3 hours of being outside.

For eg., Today I took him out from crate at 7.30 am and waited 20 minutes. No activity and brought him inside work room. Then he started to sniff within two minutes inside my work room and I rushed out. No activity again at 8.10. I crated him for 15 minutes. (We cant close the crate – another fear factor). Within a moment of stepping out of the crate, he peed and pooped. Barely gave me second to carry him down.

I can't zip the crate or close any doors due to his anxiety where he will bark and cry forever. I can't go and stand in the cold without a minute to wear a coat and shoes and during that time gap- he pees or poops inside the room. I have work to do and I am not able to step out every half hour. Please tell me how working people managed this situation.

The trainer asked to take him every 2 hours or so to pee/poop. I have been taking him every half hour and since morning and he only does it at home. I can realistically do this all day. Any help is appreciated.

Thanks a lot!!