yorkie potty training

Question
Hello! I have a 4 month old yorkie, I've had him about a month now.  The issue I'm having is with potty training. Unlike many I'm training him to use the pee pad but I don't plan on training him outdoors for personal reasons. His personal space is the laundry room & it's gated off he can use that space to eat, play, whatever and I've got a pad in there that he uses 99% of the time.
The main issue is when he's given free time in the house. I watch him but he gives no indication he has to go! He'll literally be walking or running and then just decides that's the time he wants to pee. He doesn't sniff or circle or anything. He also doesn't walk over to the pee pad or even to the front of the laundry room when he has to go. And what makes it worse is that when he pees it looks like he's sitting! So many times I've startled him thinking he's peeing on the carpet when in reality he was just sitting there.
I tried to give him a schedule but he goes at inconsistent times. Sometimes he'll go 45 minutes after eating, sometimes 3 hours, sometimes 10 minutes. And he pees in his kennel...and then lays in his pee. I'm starting to become so frustrated with this..

Answer
Hi Brandee. You'll have to curtail his freedom to roam in the house until he is reliably going on the pee pads every time.  I recommend an exercise pen in which you can put a pee pad down and keep him in the room with you.  He probably doesn't have enough control of those little bladder muscles to get to the laundry room each time he feels the need to eliminate.  

When a puppy is awake, I take them to the potty area every 15 minutes.  If the pup doesn't eliminate at that time, I try again in 5 minutes.  If a half hour goes by and he hasn't peed, he goes in his confinement area (laundry room for you).  As soon as he wakes from a nap, he should be put on the pee pad.  After a session of hard play/running around, go to the pee pad immediately.  

I'm not sure I'm understanding why he's peeing in the kennel. Is the crate in the laundry room?  Is the crate door closed and he doesn't have access to the pee pad?  First thing I would do for that is to completely clean the kennel with enzymatic cleaner and then change whatever you have in the bottom.  If you have a dog bed in there, remove it entirely and let him lay on the plastic.  Give me some more details ont his, and I'll see if I can offer any more suggestions