I have an almost 3 month old Rough Collie puppy. Our first month together has been pretty great actually. She picks up on commands, she’s only had a few accidents on the floor, she gets along with the other dog, and isn’t too obnoxious with my sisters baby when they visit.

Her one issue is crate time, or maybe more specifically any time she’s alone. I’ve read everything I could find here and elsewhere online about crate training and nothing seems to make a difference. She has old shirts that smell like me, bones, a kong that I fill, and one of those stuffed dogs with a heart beat to make her think she has company. No luck.

Any time I leave her, even uncrated, in my room she cries and howls. I’m talking even just for the two minutes to brush my teeth at night.

Now she has no issue going into the crate. She’ll go in to eat or to find treats I hide in there, but as soon as she finishes that and finds the door closed the cries begin.

I’m not sure what else I can try and we’re coming up to a time when I’ll have less help watching her so she’ll have to spend a few hours in there while I’m at work.

Now she will sleep in her crate at night, but it takes 30min-an hour for her to settle and fall asleep. She then cries every 2hrs almost on the dot. I take her out when she does, but it again takes her awhile to settle.

I just don’t know what else to do to get her to relax on her crate even a little.