Both my girls were crate trained from the get go. They loved their little crate homes. Slept in them and provided a retreat from the world, as needed. Of course their desire always was to be with their daddy 24/7. I put their crates in the living room so they wouldn't be isolated from the rest of the home - and me.
Crate training really helps when they are recovering from surgery and you need them to stay still as much as possible.
