Potty training a puppy is a lot of work, so far it sounds like potty pads are a good idea as well.
Some Potty training facts:
- A dog should be able to hold their bladder for 1 hour per their age (in months) until they are fully potty trained. i.e. 12 hrs is too long to let a doggo not go potty.
- It take a full 21 days of no accidents (big or little) for a dog to be fully potty trained. however if they have an accident on day 20, you need to restart the 21 days over again.
If she is a month old I would recommend, letting her out every hour. Always as soon as she wakes up (straight outside), after meals, returning home, and before bed. I recommend taking her to the same spot outside of your home as well.
Supervision is key. I would limit the amount of room she has when she is home. Keep a watchful eye on her body language and see what behavior she has right before she needs to go potty, this will help you know when to take her out as well, when she’s a bit older.
Crates are great as well, you could create a safe place for her to relax (this should not be a form of punishment), let her have naps in her crate (even when you are home, to help her be okay with being alone) and also build her bladder up a bit.
Definitely check out google - dog forums and registered breeder pages. 4 week old puppy is too young to be taken away from her mother, most likely your pup's mother is no longer interested or around.... good luck ♥