Crate tips

Teach your dog to love the crate. 

Don't hesitate putting the dog in the crate, don't stop and explain to them that you will be back.
Make it matter of fact and make the crate part of life.
1. Tell your dog "Crate" / "Kennel Up" / "House"
Then proceed to put your dog in the crate. Lead them in with a leash or physically help them in.
2 Once they are in you can give them a treat.
3. When you go to let them out, they need to wait to be invited out. (No barging out the crate door)
If they go to rush out of the crate, close the door on them.
Start to open the door again, if they try to rush out shut the door again.
I do this until I can open the door all the way without them rushing out.
4. Then invite them out with their "release" word ("free") or an invitation command "Let's go".
Then repeat starting at step 1 until your dog goes into the crate without help.
Then Gradually increase the amount of time that you can open the door before inviting them out, also start increasing your distance with the door open then return to them to release them.

Other tips:

• REMEMBER: Crate the dog when your home too. NOT just when you leave.
• Take your dog and their crate with you to a friends house and crate them in another room while you visit with a friend. It's good practice for them to be comfortable being crated in a different place. 
• It always helps to cover the crate with a sheet or towel. 
• If your dog whines in the crate and you think they need to go out for a potty break you can take them out ON LEASH but take them straight out to potty and right back to their crate - whining and barking gets you out for a potty break not time to be free or fun time. Otherwise they will learn to bark or whine anytime they want out. 
• Feed your dog a few of their meals in the crate. Use the above 4 steps for putting the dog in the crate. Once your dog is in the crate instead of a treat give them their food bowl. Close the crate door and walk away. When they are done eating and it is convenient for you, you can come back by and take the bowl out and let your dog out calmly (Still don't allow rushing out).

We have found that more dogs do better in plastic crates than wire crates. Lots of dogs are able to destroy wire crates if they are stressed or anxious. Plastic seems to hold up better and tends to be more den like for the dog. 

I will post a video later today on how to put the dog into the crate and teaching them to wait there.