Heavy sigh.
First. You should be leash walking your dog, not just letting out to go to the bathroom. Since you have a wroking dog, at least 15 minute walkies in the morning.
Leave the crate door open. you can feed your dog in the crate if you want, but it should not be seen in the dogs eyes as a punishment. Dogs are social animals, just let her out to be with you...she will probably just follow you around, when you stop to do work, go get a kong, fill it with some treats (Natural Balance meat sticks diced work great) or a soft chew toy. She should be able to entertain herself - especially if have had a nice long walk prior to your working and her down time. Crate time should NEVER exceed 3 hours maximum per day...recommended by most rainers. Alot of people overuse a crate and they use it in lieu of walking their dog or having play time (play ball, go swim, find a puppy play mate etc) The part I loathe about your schedule - and I dont know who recommended it, but it has absolutely no leash walking, just says use a tether is necessary at 1700 hours - this is a good way to make a good dog go insane, especially a working dog. There is very little stimulus in this schedule and the dog if just let out too go to the bathroom, will suffer from what I call the fish bowl syndrome - same place, same views, same smells - come on!! Stimulate your dog, take it for 3 15 minute walks everyday, break to play with it since you work from home and on weekends find a good fire road or trail or dog park or someplace where your dog can really get its body worked. Good luck. PS - A tired dog is easier to train that a fresh one. Send some training time after those weekend walks.

Aren't Shelties the sweetest. Right now my third sheltie is just 8 months. Prior to typing this she was setting on my lap while I was on the computer. So she's kind of a rotten dog.

I don't think she is mad at you. She's a pack animal and a baby. She is just missing her pack. Can you put the pen in the actual room where you are working? Maybe put it close enough that she is right beside you?

Also, before you crate can you have some play time with maybe a small walk or lesson thrown in. Kind of wear her out so maybe she'll take a puppy nap.

Puppies are a lot of work. It's really kind of like having a newborn in the house. However, if you put the time in now you will have a better behaved dog and more social dog.

As far as crating that does seem like a lot of time. I only crated mine when I went to the store and at night. I only did that for about a month. Now if I leave, I just put her in the laundry room. And she sleeps in the bed. However, she was 16 weeks when I got her.

I have worked with lots of pups and their humans. I refer to pups as "a force to be reckoned with". Without a doubt, pups are my favorite. They know nothing, and are completely dependant on everything, including learning good behavior.

I agree that pup needs tons of exercise. "A good dog, is a tired dog". Make this your motto. "A completely contented dog, will do absolutely nothing". Make this another motto.

*The trick that lots of humans fail to realize is, when there is a "negative" behavior such as you are dealing with, it needs to be turned into a "positive" behavior. This can be achieved in many ways, depending on what the negative behavior is. *A negative behavior should be considered anything that you do not deem appropriate, and that will prevent pups eventual unsupervised freedom in about nine months.

*Another trick when dealing with negatives: humans need to figure out how to make it a positive. Not all pups are the same. What works for one might not work for others, even of the same breed.

*Another trick. The pup training process needs to be a gradual one. Trying to make things happen to quickly when altering behavior is a huge mistake many humans make, and they wind up getting nowhere because pup and the human get confused.

Concentrating on the particular negative you posted, is just one of the many you will need to turn into a positive. That said.

You have a very young pup. Consider that she was with litter mates until just a short time ago. She has bee pulled away from the comfort of a pack, and is all of a sudden thrust into this situation. She is quite simply, scared. To calm her, you need to make her crating experience a positive one. Forcing her into the crate (if you do this) is a huge mistake. She needs to go in on her own. The easiest way is to entice her with food, peanut butter is a great enticer, dogs crave it. Put a little bit on a chew toy, let her lick it, then gradually lead her into the crate. Use a command such as "go home" to get her used to going into the crate on her own. If she does not want to go in, use more peanut butter until she does. Stuffing a Kong with peanut butter and or liquid cheese and freezing it over night will keep her busy trying to get it out when she is crated and help the teething process. Mental exercise for pups is just as important than physical exercise. Pups love to be challenged mentally, it really does wear them out.

*Practice the crating process. When you are home, play with her for a while, then crate her for about 15 minutes with a frozen Kong and cheese or peanut butter. Try putting an old sheet over the crate, leaving the front open so she can look out at you. If she chews the sheet, remove it. She could injure herself ingesting the stuff.

*When you are practicing the crating process, and when she is quiet, go into another room where she cannot see you, then immediately come back and praise her using her name. GO NUTS with a high pitched voice (pups really respond to this) when you do the praise thing, do it like she is the best dog in the whole world. Gradually (by about 15 or 20 minutes) increase the time she is crated between play times. Gradually increase the time you are out of sight.

All of this will show pup that you are there and not leaving. Leave a t.v. or radio on with soft music. Pups love this, it calms them and keeps them occupied when you are not home.

In a nutshell, consider where you want your pup to be nine months from now. She should be house trained, done with chewing and over teething. What I refer to as "the big three". She should also be well on her way to earning your trust and her unsupervised freedom.

Good luck!

SG

The puppy is crated about 14 hours a day. Even crating a dog for 14 hours a day is alot.

In addition to what SG and Mazer suggested, that pup need play, exercise and companionship. That's the responsibility of having a puppy.

Hang in there. Puppies will "wear you out". I am a firm believer in crate training and having a schedule (especially for pups & young dogs). The key to the schedule is anticipating potty needs and exercise (min 2 walks per day). Wear the pup out w/ walks and throw in some fun playtime as a bonus. I think I lost 10 pounds the first year I had my puppy. It was due to all the walking and bending over. I met neighbors and made lasting friendships. I recall being at my wit's end and zonked from the challenge of puppyhood. I also recall at around 8 months using doggy daycare on days when I knew I would not be around during the day AND we were going to be gone in the evening. I can remember picking her up from daycare and she would almost nod off (in an sitting on haunches position) in the car- baby was happy & mom was happy. Hang in there. Be consistent. Hit the pavement.

And don't forget now is the time to be playing toys and games with your pup in a dry bathtub. Make going into the bathroom and hopping into the tub (dry) a fun thing. It could save you a ton of aggravation later on when your dog needs a bath and resists going into the bathtub. That is if you plan to use your bathtub for washing the dog.