When starting the process of puppy crate training you have to remember that your puppy would love to do nothing more in the world than please it's owner, "YOU".  You must take the proper steps in the correct order to "help" your puppy understand what you want it to do  (NOT PEE OR POOP ON YOUR CARPET!!!!). You shouldn't assume that your pup will telepathically, just know what you want it to do when you put it outside.

The puppy most likely has the mental power to learn a greater amount than you think, much faster if you can learn a good training program.   And I DO NOT mean waiting until it pees or poops on your rug and then rub it's nose in it. You must not correct your puppies for using your carpet as a toilet unless you see it while it's doing it.   Pups don't have the mental capacity to realize what you are scolding them for that happened in the past, and you wind up confusing them.   If you don't catch them in the act a correction just doesn't do any good.

Selecting A Crate

The first thing you want to do in puppy crate training is select the proper size crate. The kennel should be just large enough for your puppies to turn around and stand up in and no larger. You might wonder if your puppy needs more space to stretch out so it doesn't feel so enclosed.   There you go with your human thinking again! It's alright, it is common that we assume it that way, but your puppies don't.

Remember how they don't like to relieve themselves in their den???   Well if you give them too much room, than they will relieve themselves on one side and just sleep on the other.  Most of the commercially available puppy crates are sufficient for puppy crate training.   I like the tan plastic crates (color doesn't matter, most people recognize these though) with the wire front door with a lock on it. They are great for containing dog hair and dirt in the crate and not on your carpet. If you buy a crate that has a divider in it that will allow you to adjust the size, it will save you money by not having to keep purchasing new crate every time your puppy grows.