You are doing a few things wrong.
First, crate training is to be done slowly. Putting the dog in the crate, closing the door and leaving her alone for any stretch of time isn't the way to properly crate train. This will only cause her stress and more issues - including crate issues. Crate train slowly.
Bring the crate upstairs. Remember, the idea of crate training is that she won't pee in the crate - not that she's isolated from the family. When I potty train using the crate, I cart my crate around to where ever I'm going to be spending most of my time. So, in the mornings, the crate gets hauled out to the den, where my dogs can see me in the kitchen as well as the den. At night, the crates are hauled back to the bedroom where my dogs can sleep with me present. When they are potty trained, obviously, the crates go into the dog's room.
As you get an adult dog used to the crate, you must work in small increments of time and build on them. So say put your dog in the crate with a Kong with some peanut butter inside. Leave the dog there for a few minutes with you in the same room. Let the dog out. Later, repeat with maybe his breakfast. Five minutes later, let the dog out. Later, repeat, only increase the time to say, 10 minutes. Let the dog out. You slowly increase your dog's time in the crate until they are comfortable going in their crates. You never let the dog out when the dog is barking. Ever. If you do, you're rewarding the barking, and it will get worse.
Your dog's crate is it's bedroom. You never punish a dog by putting it in the crate. Then the crate becomes something to dislike. You want your dog to view the crate as "it's spot." It's the safe haven. The den of peace. If your dog goes in it's crate to escape kids, then kids need to know they cannot go get the dog out of the crate. Don't force your dog into the crate. I throw in a few kibbles to get my dogs in their crates. Then it's their idea to go in...not mine.
Go to Petsmart and ask the trainer there for a brocnure on crate training. It should be free and will give you some good tips on how to crate train properly. Also, they hava a book, "Potty Training Is Possible" that will tell you how to use the crate to properly potty train.
I'd also recommend you sign up for some obedience classes. Even if you've had dogs before, an obedience class will help you and the dog develop a tighter bond. They are always useful, even if you know how to train.
MACH Aslan RE, MX, MXJ, EAC, EJC, OCC, Wv-N, TN-N, TG-N, R-SN, J-SN, R2-CL, CGC, TDI, FFX-AG (five year old sheltie)
Jericho OA, NAJ, R1-MCL, CGC, FFX-AP (three year old sheltie)
Laika NAJ, CGC (nine year old retired American Eskimo)
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