I'm probably not the best to ask about crating...I'm one of the "softies". Mine are not crated
. Well, Diva, my oldest, who will be 2 at the end of May, was crated in the beginning. I got her when she was 15 weeks old and crated her when I wasn't home...other than that, she was out...and slept with me at night too. Now she has free roam of the house....I got Foxxy when she was 15 weeks old(she'll be 1 next week), I just never crated her....I just felt bad having her crated and Diva running around so I tried the pp pads...that's what I use now. Foxxy and Diva are both now fully trained..neither will go in the house(well there have been an accident here and there when they were sick and had diaharrea but they went on the pads..phew)...so I guess I just lucked out....Now I won't say there weren't accidents while they were still in "potty training" mode but that comes with the territory. Just pick a method adnd stick with it...It seems like forever but it's so rewarding when it's over with. Now diva's pup Duchess....well...that's another story...we're still working on her
she's 7 mths. She's having more accidents than Diva & Foxxy did but is now doing well with the pp pads and going outside.