UPDATE: Potty problems with 7 month old

[Deborah and Molly]

I am so frustrated with Molly, probably more so with myself. Molly is a very smart girl and picks up on things very quickly. She knows the words ball, baby, frisbee, rope, bone, and some others. She knows her basic obedience commands, etc. But, and this is a big one, she refuses to stop going potty in her room. She will go to her room, in the basement, just to potty. As you can see from the pictures, she has a very large space.
When we brought her home, her space was in our washroom. She stayed there until she started gnawing holes in our walls; thus, her move to the basement "apartment.". I did train her to use the piddle pads and most of the time she will pee on them, but has NEVER pooped on them. I want to break this cycle and get her house trained. She has never been crated. Also, she is fed by 6pm everyday. I do leave her about 1/2 a cup of water in her bowl during the night.
She knows that she is doing a "no no" because she will go to her bed and lay down. I scold her with a "No....bad potty" and put her outside. I have 2 smaller dogs that were potty trained by 3 months, Molly is now 7 months.
Any suggestions are welcome.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I also agree with crating her at night, and for the whole 7 hours.  Just be sure that she has been outside and done her business first....you may have to go with her at first.  You still have the issue of during the day though.  I personally would not crate a dog all night and again all day.  I know some people do this but I would not be comfortable.  Is there anyone who can come in and walk her half way through the day....I think she will really need that break.  I would give her a good walk in the morning before you leave and then I would use her gated room with a dog walker at noon.  You will have to completely deodorize the floor to get rid of any pee smell and I would take away the pads.

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

I second the dog walker.  Puppies really need that midday walk, especially if they are being crated.

[Sharon & Monty]

I understand that you dont crate.  Long before crates were in vogue I had dogs,never had a crate.  I tethered my dog to our bed leg.  He/she could not get far and it acted just like a crate as they never messed during the night because it would be too close to where they sleep.  I was always aware of what the dog was doing during the night as it was like having a baby in the house, you never sleep soundly enough for anything to be going on.  Just my past experiences, maybe an idea.  

[Marnie, Stanlee's Mom]

A good refernce tool for you has been attached - written by Dr. Ian Dunbar.  Hope this helps!

[Deborah and Molly]

Update on house training Molly.

Molly now has a crate.  We purchased it right after this post.  She wasn't sure about it at first but seems to like it now.  About 3 days she will spend no more than 5 hours in during the day and 7 - 8 hours during the night.  There have been no accidents in the crate...none.

When I get up at 6:00a.m., I let Molly and our other two dogs into the yard to potty.  Molly will always pee and poop during this time.

My dilema is there have been a few times that Molly has gone to her room in the basement and used the bathroom there, so I closed the door.  That had not been a problem until this morning.  She went outside and I saw her pee but came back in to make the dog's breakfast.  I let them in, the three of them ate, and I assume, as I was picking up the bowls and washing them out, she ran into the den and pooped!  I didn't see her do this, but let them back out since they had just eaten and smelled it when I walked back into the room.  When I let them back in, Molly saw the cleaning supplies by the poop spot and layed down.

She gives me NO indication....ever.....that she needs to go out.  I have tried the bell approach since she was 2 months old and nothing.

I think my BIGGEST mistake was pad training her and now I don't know how to correct my mistake.  HELP!!