My little Bichon is almost 7 months old and she still isn't potty trained. I have tried approach after approach. I have rewarded her for using her little mats at times when I can't take her outside (late nights) and when she goes outside and uses the bathroom. I also reprimand her when she uses the bathroom in places that she isn't supposed to use (carpet, bed, etc). She acknowledges the fact that she has done wrong when she uses one of those places that she isn't supposed to and tucks her tail and runs away. I'm at college now, and during most of the day I am gone, so I probably can't take her out as often as needed. As soon as I get home, after meals, before bed, and in the morning after we get up I take her out. On the weekends and days off, I take her out almost every hour, which she doesn't always use the bathroom, but I try to get her into the habit. She was to the point where she was doing really well with the training and now all of the sudden she seems like she has just completely reversed. This may be completely irrelevant, but she is getting spayed in a week, while I can be with her constantly over fall break. Does anyone out there have any suggestions. I feel as though I am doing most everything right, and the house I just bought is beginning to smell like urine, which is completely unacceptable. Thank you for any help!

Okay. So it seems like crate training is the way to go. Any suggestions to getting her to stay in the crate or how to go about it. I tried this when I first got her at about 3 months for short periods and she was terrified of the crate even if I sat right with her or left her alone to go do something. She would never settle down. Any suggestions to make her not so afraid? I put toys and her blanket with a bone in the crate and she still hated it. Thanks for the responses!