[mpachankis]

I adopted a dog from the local shelter. She's 6 months old. She seems to pee a lot during the day. I take her out several times, and sometimes she pees, and sometimes she does not. I have training pads on the floor, and she uses those too.
Her signal for "I have to go out" is very similar if not exactly like "pay attention to me."
Does she use the training pads because they're there? If I stopped using them, would she pee on the floor where they were, or would she hold it until she goes out?

 

[Toedtoes]

The longer you put pee pads down the harder it will be to get her to go outside. In addition, a pee pad is no different than a rug, paper, discarded clothing, etc - if it's on the floor, it is to pee on.

Get rid of the pee pads. Take her outside at least once an hour, everytime she wakes up, after she eats/drinks, after play time, right before bed and as soon as you wake up. When she goes outside, praise her like she just sang the National Anthem - every time. Don't wait for her to signal, take her out on a schedule until she is at least a year old, preferably 1-1/2 years old - it's too easy to miss a signal or for her to have a setback.

As she stops having accidents in the house, you can slowly increase the time between potty breaks (but ALWAYS take her out before bed, as soon as you wake, after eating, and whenever she asks). If she has a mistake, go back to the prior time frame.

She may have setbacks. They are most common when the weather changes.

If shehas an accident, clean it up with something like Nature's Miracle. NEVER EVER punish her, yell at her, or show frustration/anger at her making a mistake - that will just teach her to hide her peeing/pooping in the house.