Puppy Housetraining Regression

Question
I have a 7 month old female Chihuahua. Within the first 2 weeks of getting her she learned how to go on a puppy pad and had no problems for the first 2 months. I go to work for 8 hours a day and have to leave her in a crated area in the bedroom. The area has a puppy pad in one corner, her bed in the adjacent corner and her food and water away from both on the opposite end with toys in the middle. She did fine until the past few weeks. She started pooping on her bedding. I tell her no and put her on the puppy pad when I catch her. Recently she has been dragging the puppy pad to on top of her bed. She does not play with it or tear it up, just moves it on top of her bed with poop and pee on it.

Also when we get home and she is free to roam around the house. She will pee around the pee pad and near it but not on it sometimes. And the thing is we wouldnt have even known she did it if she didnt look so guilty. If I see her looking guilty and check the pee pad and always see the pee or poop not on the pee pad but she does use it sometimes. So I know she knows that she is supposed to go on the pee pad. But why is she not going in the pad when she fine doing it before? Please help I am very curious why she would do this.  

Answer
Why?  The toughest question I see.  Exactly what goes on in those furry little heads is hard to say.  Could you be convinced she is doing it deliberately to protest being left alone?  If so, it certainly is effective isn't it? Many ''experts'' say no way.  On the other hand, I can't begin to count all the questions like this I have seen over the years.  I say she is maturing and challenging you for leadership.  The dogs see all the
people and dogs in the household as a pack with each having their own rank in
the pack and a top dog.  Life is much easier if the 2 legged pack members
outrank the 4 legged ones.  You can learn to play the role of top dog by
reading some books or going to a good obedience class. A good obedience class
or book is about you being top dog, not about rewarding standard commands with
a treat. Start at http://www.dogsbestfriend.com/  Here is another site that gives more detail on how top dogs act. http://www.dogbreedinfo.com./topdogrules.htm

Chihuahuas take themselves very seriously.  They share 95% of their DNA with wolves.  To you, she is a cute little dog.  To her, she is a maturing wolf.  Don't make the mistake of thinking little dogs don't need obedience training.  Buy a book, or sign up for a class.  Here are some more good books,

The Cultural Clash by Jean Donaldson, 1996

Excel-crated Learning by Pamela Reid, 1996

Don't Shoot the Dog, by Karen Pryor, 1996

Surviving Your Dog's Adolescence, by Carol Lea Benjamin, 1993

Second Hand dog, by Carol Lea Benjamin, 1988

Dog Problems, by Carol Lea Benjamin, 1989

Super Puppy, by Peter J. Vollmer, 1988

HELP, Mt dog Has an Attitude, by Gwen Bohnenkamp, 1994

Owners' Guide Better Behavior in Dogs and Cats, by William Campbell, 1989

What All Good dogs Should Know, By Wendy Vollmer, 1991

How to Raise a Dog When Nobody is Home, Jerry Kilmer, 1991

Puppy Primer, by Brenda K Skidmore and Patricia B. McConnell, Ph.D., 1996

Beginning Family Dog Training, by Patricia B. McConnell, Ph.D., 1996

The Other end of the Leash, by Patricia B. McConnell, Ph.D.