Crate training is often the best way to train a dog. I do not see ant flaws in it.
In my opinion you should start with the dog crate next to you, and start moving it away from you little by little.
All breeds have the potential to do well with crate training. They will howl and bark ad whine for the first few days or about a week, but after that they should come to think of the crate as their bedroom. It will make it easier for the dog if you give then a treat when you put them in the crate so they know they are not being punished.
put them outside
If your puppy (or dog) is in need of potty training, the best method would be to paper train him. Crate training can be used at the same time you're paper training him. While you're away, putting your puppy in the crate is a good way to keep him from wetting (or "going #2") on himself. Puppies don't like to wet themselves, and will try very hard not too. So it is important to get a crate small enough so that they don't have room to go in one corner of the crate and then be clean in another corner. You can find out more about paper and crate training in a google search. You'll get tons of helpful websites. The website in related has information of both paper and crate training in it.
Ruff Rules - 2014 Crate Training Techniques 1-7 was released on: USA: 22 January 2014
Crate training can be an efficient and effective way to house train a puppy. Puppies do not like to soil their resting/sleeping quarters if given adequate opportunity to eliminate elsewhere
The solution to that is a solid program on crate training. A crate can really be a comfortable den for a dog if you do it the proper way. Here's more details, http://dogtime.com/housetraining-crate-training.html
Crate training is the easiest way to housetrain dogs, and it also teaches them how to settle down and entertain themselves when you're gone. However, crates won't work if they're used to punish a dog or keep him "out of sight, out of mind." Use the crate only when necessary, give your dog plenty of breaks to stretch his legs and to play and bond with you, and make crate time more pleasant by stocking it with toys.more information:http://dogtime.com/housetraining-crate-training.html
If you were my client, first question I would ask you is in regards to the size of your crate in proportion to the size of your puppy. Unless a dog is sick or has been left in a crate for an extended period of time (more than 6 hours) most puppies will not potty where they sleep. If your puppy is in a crate that is too large for him, he will have the freedom to use the other side of the crate than he sleeps to relive himself. During puppy crate training, the crate should only be big enough for the puppy to stand up, turn around and lay back down. Some larger crates come with a divider so the crate can grow with your puppy. Also, the puppy should be in and out of his crate during the day, teaching the puppy that the crate is a safe place. For example, when you can't have your eyes on the puppy 100% of the time (doing chores, taking shower) the puppy should be in his proper size crate and should be rewarded when he enters the crate with either affection, or small treat. This will teach him that the crate is a good place to be.
Either invest in a smaller crate, or block off a part of a larger crate to make the dogs space smaller. The dog will start the think of the crate as is bedroom, and it won't want to go to the bathroom in its bedroom. If there is room for the dog to go to the bathroom and then lay in another area where it can stay away from the feces, the crate is too big. Dogs do not want to lay in their own feces, so a small crate would help to curb this habit.
There are many types of training so which one you select will depend on what you expect from your dog. As an example Lead training is extremely helpful for all dogs. It allows for the owner to be in control while walking a dog. Crate training may or may not be necessary depending if you plan on keeping the dog in a crate while away for part of the day or perhaps when company is over. Another good training for dobermans is obedience command training which allows for the owner to give commands that the dog will follow.