To help build positive associations with the crate, here are a few recommendations:
1. Turn the crate into a place where your dog is happy to hang out.
You can do this by having your dog spend time in the crate when you’re home and making sure the crate is in the same room where you tend to spend time. To facilitate, either invest in multiple crates or move the current crate from room to room.
2. Keep the door open and make things fun.
On a daily basis, toss things (treats, toys) inside the crate for your dog to find on his own. Pieces of dried lamb lung or a filled Kong are great options.
3. Feed in the crate.
Feed meals in the crate, but with the door open to prevent your dog from feeling trapped. Use a work to eat bowl to help prolong your dog's meal and provide a mental distraction from being in the crate.
4. Move the crate.
Move the crate somewhere where he can’t see the front door. Watching you come in and out, and seeing and hearing all the activity on the other side of the door, are intensifying his focus and anxiety about the front door.
5. Build endurance slowly.
When you do have to leave your dog and you feel he should be in the crate when you leave, start with leaving him in there with a full meal in a work to eat bowl to keep him occupied. Before leaving for good, exit your home and see if you can leave for one minute. Your goal is to leave for a short enough time that he isn’t having a panic attack. You want to return before he is at all upset. We want to stretch that time, little by little, never going for so long that he has a fit. It may help to use a white noise machine on to help dim the kinds of noises he might be used to hearing and associating with you leaving.
6. Be patient and lean on your friends.
It will take time for your dog to feel good about his crate, but consistently working with him to build better associations will pay off. In the meantime, lean on your friends to hang out with him if/when you have to go out for longer periods of time.