[dog gone wilds]

We have a cocker spaniel 9 years old. he was my sons dog and we have had him for about 2 years. he has been finefor about a year would go outside to use bathroom, until one day he went down to the basement and found out that the cats have a litter box down there. how he goes to the bathroom down there all the time. We are gone most of the day and we use to keep him in a crate. For me I hate to keep him in a crate for up to 8 hr. We use to keep him in the crate at night until he started digging at the crate breathing hard not barking or wining and went to the bathroom in the cage. I let out ever night before bed. the basement smells bad. and it is stanning the concrete. I closed it off to him and he just went upstairs in one of the rooms. i have put pads down but he goes everywhere they are not. I am desperate. we use one side of the basement for entertaining but now is smells so bad.