Thanks to all for your advice and replies. We are in Northern Kentucky, so I doubt you will be our trainer, catnapper!

Lizbud, no offence taken. We have had dogs off and on for years. We have been dogless for about a year and a half, are settled into our new home, and wanted a family pet. We were looking at a different dog last weekend that had been fostered for a couple of years, and was housebroken and crate trained already. (We were rejected by the agency, as we don't have a fenced yard.) The new dog knows nothing. I also did not realize she would have such an aversion to the crate. Must be some history there.

As to the size, the wire cage is a bit too large for her. However, we do have an airline crate that is abaout half a size too small (she can turn around and lay down, but has to duck to stand up) which we put in the kitchen, and she is doing very well in it, except she refuses to go in by herself.

She pottied in the basement, but that was our fault. We had just taken her out, and then bathed her (she stank... the spca is a pretty gross place) and took her back downstairs to dry a bit, and oops! should have taken her out again after the bath. She has wet nicely outside twice, and received praise, not too lavish... few pats and ear rubs and "go potty, good girl" s. She is so starved for attention that just looking at her seems to make her happy!

We just went on a nice walk around the block, and she is playing in the basement with my 10 year old daughter. She loves "bo-bo" (loofah dog from petsmart) and will play fetch, even brings is back and lets go!

You forget a lot of things in not having a dog for a while, and we have no experience with adopting a non-puppy stray!

Oh, and she will not always be in the basement. It is just unfinished, fairly empty, and a great place to run and play, and no carpeting to soil. (there is a large rug) We want a companion, but need to get her to learn some manners and housetraining before she can be loose in the house. Just like with training a puppy. She does seem to be smart, though she will not "work for cookies"...

thanks again!