Hi Warren. I just want to happily cheer you for your stance against crate training.
I trained all my dogs without crates, didn’t even consider it because I never felt it necessary. But it seems these days everyone is advocating crate training.
I love my babies and want them to be happy and want to provide for them what they need, not just what is easiest for me.
It seems house training a dog is easier than training humans not to use crates for housetraining.