For the puppy, the crate is an invaluable training aid.  Confined to his crate while his owner is out of the house, he can't destroy or soil anything, or hurt himself.   He really welcomes this sort of security when left alone.

How To Use The Dog Crate Properly

Start your puppy's crate training as soon as possible, the younger the better.  Set it up in a corner, wherever you plan to keep him.  Put in a blanket, old rug, or soft towel.   Don't attempt to use nice cushions until the dog is well over the chewing stage.  Further security is gained by placing a blanket or other covering over the top and sides of the crate--making it a real 'dog house', especially at night.  Put in toys and feed the puppy in the crate so that he has only a very pleasant association with it.  Don't force him into it or use it for punishment.  If he flops down to sleep elsewhere, just gently pick him up, place him inside and shut the door until he is well awake again.  He will be too sleepy to care and will be getting the proper association.  Soon he will retire to his crate automatically when tired.

Use these frequent periods to initiate training and don't hesitate to confine him to the crate several times a day for short periods of time, especially when you are too busy to watch him.  This is most important until he is housebroken and also for his safety.   Puppies are curious and like to chew-- but chewing the cord of a lighted lamp can result in immediate death.  Always confine your puppy in his crate when you are out of the house!   He may howl in resentment at first, not because of the crate, but because you are leaving him behind and he knows it.  Leave him a rawhide bone or a few cookies, something he will enjoy.  Don't weaken and don't worry, he will settle down as soon as you are gone. This type of discipline is a vital part of his young life.  Puppies have remarkable learning abilities, but will learn bad habits as easily as good ones.   Give him the best advantage by taking the time and effort to create good habits and institute training early.  

Remember to remove his collar when crating him since collars can become caught in the mesh and badly frighten or injure your dog.  Confine your puppy to his crate at night to greatly reduce accidents.  Since it is his home, as well as being a small space, most pups learn quickly not to soil in their crates.  Limiting water and treats later in the evening will also help prevent accidents overnight.   

The investment of a good quality wire crate can seem a bit expensive, but it will very worthwhile in many situations over the life of your dog.   Intelligently and properly used, a dog crate can go a long way towards housetraining your pup quickly,  providing a safe 'haven' for your pet, and helping to establish good, sound ground rules.  Once you have trained a pet using a crate, you won't know how you ever had a dog without one!