I have to agree with that too. My parents have done that to Reggie and Smokey, and i keep telling them it doesn't do any good. They've also yelled at them when they've found the pee hours later, and since the dogs look guilty (mainly because they are yelling at them) my parents assume the dog knows what he did wrong. I've never been able to convince them otherwise.

If Nebo goes in the house, and I didn't see him do it, I just clean it up without a word (next time I need to make sure he doesn't see me do it though, you have a point there). If I catch him in the act, I will yell a firm "Outside!" then pick him up and take him outside.

Try the bell ringing thing too. Set up a bell by your door, and ring it every time you take your dog outside to go potty. Soon the dog will start ringing it when he wants outside. I've tried this with Nebo. Sometimes he rings the bell, sometimes he doesn't....but at least he is sort of catching on.