| Re: First Time Owner/Crate Training
That's great if your dog is sleeping in the crate! My dogs have crates in the family room and I leave the doors open so they can nap, escape visitors, or take a prized toy/bone/chew to have in privacy.
At 7 weeks old she should be getting 3 regularly scheduled meals per day, plenty of water with her meal (you can give her a limited amount in between if if helps the potty schedule), pick up the water bowl 2 hours before bedtime, give her increasing exercise as she becomes able, ...
potty training rule of thumb...# of hours they can hold it = to age in months
So your dog MIGHT be able to hold it about 2 hours. She will be able to hold it for as long as she naps (at night you need to set an alarm clock to wake her up every 2 hours or so...if find that she has eliminated in the crate move it back to 90 minutes to start). As soon as she awakens from a nap though she will need to go out RIGHT NOW. When you take her out at night...no lights, no happy talk, no play... just out to potty, food reward, a bit of verbal praise, and then right back to the crate.
Some pups find it helpful to have an old t-shirt of yours (it would be better unlaundered or wear it for an hour or so, it needs to have your scent), a piece of blanket that was with her at the breeders, or just a clean old bath towel in the crate. I use the bath towel method if I can so that I can just throw it in the laundry as needed and I keep a small supply on hand. Thrift stores are a good place to find cheap old bath towels.
If you put your dog in the crate with a genuine positive attitude on your part and don't get all bunched up if she cries a bit, things usually go smoothly. I start out with a crate by the bed so they can see me. However some dogs like to have their crate covered with a light blanket, to make it more den-like??? And some dogs are just plain howlers and I move them to the opposite end of the house. A little less convenient for night time outings, but we do have to get our sleep.
Normal potty schedule...when she gets up first thing in the morning, feed breakfast, out 15-45 minutes after breakfast, out every 90 minutes- 2 hours until lunch, feed lunch, out after lunch, then back to the 90 minutes-2 hours until dinner, feed dinner, out after dinner, every 90 minutes to 20 hours until bedtime, out just before crated at bedtime, then set your alarm as necessary for the night time outings.
Good luck! | 
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