My guy is crate trained. The crate was used when I first got him, only when no one was home to let him outside to releive himself and a night when we were sleeping. Now that he is housebroken he still uses the crate as a place to rest and to sleep at night. Soon he will have his crate replaced with a pillow. This will be his safe place for the rest of his days. If you want to house train him, then crate traing is the only way to go.