[PennysMum]

Maybe the caveat on my post should be that she is full grown and a rather large yorkie-- she really has no problem holding it until we get home at night. I got her when she was about five months old, and for the first few months I would come home twice during long work days to run her outside so that there would be no accidents. She's nearly two now and no longer needs to go out as frequently, but if I am working a really long day I will still drive home during my lunch hour to take her outside.

There's not anything mean about crating a dog when it is looked at from a dog's perspective. It is their den. If the crate is appropriately sized (i.e., large enough for the dog to stand up, stretch out fully, and comfortably turn around) and if they have some safe toys and cuddly blankets in there, crate trained dogs are usually happy and well-adjusted dogs.