We crate trained both of our labs when they were pups. We got both of them at about 7 weeks, and had the crate in the bedroom with us. The first few nights we spent some of the time on the floor with them and took them out in the middle of night. It did not take long before they told us when then needed to go out. Within a week or so they would make it through the night OK. I can't recall but once when Cooper soiled her crate, and I think she might have been a little sick. I'm a fan of the wire crates, which can be folded down, and have a divider inside so you can make the space smaller initially. A crate for a Lab can be pretty large, and having multiple door options may make it fit your space better. Because one of us was home most of the time during the day, we kept the pup(s) in the kitchen. We used a wire playpen in the kitchen during the day, and also a baby gate across the kitchen door. We did not have a lot of accidents, but there were some and mostly they were on the vinyl floor. Both Cooper (8 months) and Tilly are 100% reliable now but Cooper the wood chuck is also a paper/plastic chuck sometimes. We still have a baby gate up, but seldom use it, mostly when we are trying to dry a wet dog or keep them out of something we are doing. We have a dog door and fenced back yard at home so they are free to come and go. At our cabin we have to take them out, but they are good about letting us know.
