I agree, getting an ex pen is the best solution.
I have trained most of mine that way.
What I do is set up their ex pen to where they have their bed, food/water and toys and pads. I don't expand the x pen all the way and I make sure that there is no space left. That way they don't have much of a choice other than to go on the pad. After doing that for a few weeks I extend the pen to where there is space not covered or taken up. Since they have been going on the pad the past few weeks they learned to go on it. If they start going in the empty space I make the pen smaller again. If they go on the pad like they are suppose to, the pen gets bigger. After some time I have the pen fully extended with a pad in one area where they are going on the pad everytime.
Once they reach this point I take them out of the pen and leave them out inside the house all day, except when I am not there, and I leave a pad in a specific area. The pad is never moved from this area. Since they have learned to go on the pad because of the ex-pen training, they will go over to the pad. It has been working really great for me. The pen taught them the basics on house training. I even have 3 month old puppies who are learning this way and are doing really good already.
There are sooo many things you can try. I am glad you are willing to work on it and not give up easily like so many others have. Good luck with the training!!
