Good luck
We crate trained out puppy, and it's worked wonderfully. If the weather is nice, we leave her in her large kennel outside when we're at work. If it's not, she has her cage inside large enough for her to move around with plenty to do. Crate training isn't cruel at all. It works well, and the dog isn't kept in the crate 24/7. She spends the rest of the time out with us. It's just her nature to want to chew. We've tried puppy school and all sorts of books; she's just a chewer, and I don't want to let her run around and chew everything in sight when we're not around.