Dog Health Questions: 2 separate questions re: dog training (crate training and obedience)?

I have a nearly 1 1/2 y.o. male shih tzu who I have been crate training for about 8 months. I admit I haven't been the most consistent with that, solely due to weather (rarely if it's raining/snowing outside I put the wee wee pads down) but for the most part, I keep to a schedule with him and reward him with play/treats. He was trained on wee wee pads first so he knows to go on them if they're down. We just moved and he's had two accidents, he didn't go to the wee wee pad that was down (it was pouring outside) and the other day he pooped inside just after having come back in from outside. My first question is, how long does the crate training take to work? I know many will say I shouldn't be doing both the crate and wee wee pads but he knows both and hasn't had any accidents in a long time. My ultimate goal is to allow him free reign of the apartment without wee wee pads, or to know that he'll bark when he has to go outside but how long should that take?

My second question is about his obedience when he sees people and other dogs. He barks uncontrollably (out of excitement) but it will not stop until we walk over to the other dog. Sometimes that's not possible in which case I try so hard to get him to stop. I firmly say 'no bark' while lightly tugging on his leash, or I kneel down and look him in the face and say 'NO!" Should I bring treats outside or do something different?

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Well life has changed for him with moving, new house new outside, new smells and it may take a little while for him to settle down............you need to go out with him ..........it may be very scarey out there on his own and go back to orgininal toilet training, after play , after eating and after waking and sometimes in between.......keep calm, keep quiet and be consistant.

His excitement is anxiety, the more you shout and pull on the lead the worse he will get as you are adding further excitement to an already excited situation and the pulling on his neck releases adrenalin which causes reaction.
Again calm, quiet, turn his face away and let the other dog sniff his bum, then ask the other handler to turn their dogs face and let him sniff, this is like humans shaking hands and saying hello and dogs understand it and are prepared ( for most of the time) to then accept the dog completely and play or at least settle and behave, which is when you can praise him.
I say turn their head because staring is aggressive in dog language, which is why some dogs will attack each other after nose to nose sniffing, with their handlers pulling the lead putting tension on their necks.............which some handlers don't understand at all, but as a handler you are setting your dogs up to fail, instead of win, so they can be praised.

Who Let The Dogs Out? Pointers For In Home Dog Training

• my dog, half boxer, half bloodhound, seems to do best when we run her in the evening. we have a dog park across the street...we are lucky. socialize him....let him know that other dogs are OK. He has no idea what you are saying. Bring hotdogs or bacon.....


• First part: Put his bed in the crate at night. He will not go where she sleeps. Might take a few months but be consistent. If you are still going to use the training mats ( shouldn't be necessary after 1 1/2 year though!) every week move them closer toward your front door. then take them away completely. The accident swill only be because you are in a new environment. Don't punish him too much. Just put him in the caret or carry him to a pad when he does it. You have to do this immediately though
  
  2) The barking should not be rewarded. You are right to say "no bark" or "no" but keep to one command. Dogs can only store so many words in their brains so use them wisely! Do no give him treats when he barks- this will only encourage him and don't let him play with the other dog. Tug him hard, firmly say "no" and walk in the other direction- or hold his snout shut and say "no". You will feel horrible the first few times you do it, but its better to do it before its too late to train him easily.
  
  Both things should take a maximum of two months- but you need to be patient and really consistent. Give him a treat when he does his business outside. or if he see's another dog and doesn't bark at all.