What I've found in my experience is that crate training helps them to hold it because they usually do not like to soil their sleeping area. I have always crate trained my dogs and it has worked very well in the past and is working well with Kiki now. I only crate while I'm at work. The great thing is my husband work afternoons and I work mornings and the longest Kiki is in the crate is 4 hours.
Ladyt & Kiki