We got Layla and Bitsy Boodle first -- they were little puppies. We did crate training, and except for a couple of *tragic* incidents involving a dining room chair and the stair runner, they had the run of the house by five months. Beckon arrived at age 12 weeks, and the girls taught him how to use the dog door, so there was no housebreaking required. The late, great Annie Laurie was already housebroken, as was Penny. Our guests have to be taken out right after they eat. Even then, we've had quite a few accidents with them. Considering their situation (Daddy and Mommy are at Johns Hopkins while Daddy has a bone marrow transplant), we're being very forgiving.