[CoraBoxer]

First off I live in an apartment too and I LOL so hard when you say he pees on the balcony. Don't balconies have holes for water to drain down? Thats an aside :P Won't use the toilet? I've seen cats do this, never a dog but if you could teach it this it'll be a looooong time before it happens; I think. But i truly believe in teaching them to pee where you want the first time because why would you want to teach it twice?

My Cora has peed on her mattress a number of times. Actually it was always on the mattress never in the house anywhere. A lot of times it wasn't even peeing but more like leaking? This was more often occuring (from memory) in the winter after coming inside etc.

Gotta be patient with the pee training but consistent. They will get it! I trained Cora to use a doggy bell. Used to live in a larger home and sometimes couldn't see her waiting by the door. She picked it up quickly and it worked. She knew what she had to do for me to open the back door when she wanted out and she does it. I used to give her a few minutes and if she didn't pee we'd go back inside. I wanted the bell to be for pee/poo not play. I moved the bell to apartment and go down with her when she needs out.

I don't know why mine peed on the mattress but she did. So if you ask me i'd say its normal part of training (to bigger and better things... peeing outdoors). I used to tell her it was wrong, show her outside and clean the mattress asap (air it out/wash the cover) so that Cora never got used to that peeing the 'pee spot'.