Mine did the same thing...I just moved her into the bedroom with us and she was fine. When we left the house and it was time for her to go in the crate...the second she heard the front door close she started crying and yelping. I actually had nieghbors ask what we were doing to the dog to make her cry like that. She finally learned we were going to let her out again and the quicker she shut up the quicker she'd get to come out.
So if you can put her in your bedroom at night that might help.

As sort of an aside, I like to let the dog get settled into the crate before "the bad thing" happens, whatever that may be.

If we're leaving the house, for example, I prefer to put the dog into the crate 15-20 minutes prior to our departure and let the dog get nice and settled in. (It also makes the getting ready routine with a 4 year old boy a little quicker when an 11 month old pup is not also underfoot.)

Ditto for other "unpleasant" crate time. If you know that the dog doesn't mind the crate, per se, but does mind you being out of sight in the crate, let the dog spend a little time in the crate with you visible prior to leaving the dog. Let the dog get settled in and relaxed (maybe even sleepy, with a young pup it happens pretty quick).

If we get into the habit of popping the dog into the crate and immediately leaving while the dog is still standing and peering out the door, it makes it harder for the dog to associate the crate as a warm, comfortable place, right?

 Quote: Michael_Wise

 Quote: Kurt Smith

The best thing you can do is move the crate to a place where the puppy causes your family the least amount of discomfort and ignore him.

 Quote: steve strom

I'd go with what Kurt said and put the crate in the car out in the garage.

Third.

Call me the wimp of this post but I think it's too soon for this. I understand, and agree with the idea completely if the dog understands what is expected and has a well established bond with the handler but........ this is a rescued pup who has only been there for 4 weeks. I think Al is doing awesome in his work with her and that she is accepting of the crate. And with further work I think she would accept being alone too.

Since she seems so cooperative and willing to learn; I'd be afraid of undoing all the work put into crate training her and potentially damaging the trust and bond that is being created by forcing a situation on her that she doesn't quite get.

On the other hand......I'm not the one losing sleep either so I know this is definitely a case of easier said than done. But I am a wimp and I'm sticking to it!

 Quote: Al Young

She has no trouble going into the crate on verbal command and staying there. As long as someone is around where she can see, she is fine. At night of course, she is alone and in less than 3 minutes she crys & wimpers.

And what are you doing when she cries and whimpers? Do you ever let her out when she's crying? Perhaps you are unintentionally reinforcing the crying...

Start during the day, when you can reward her for being quiet. Put her in the crate, close the door, and leave the room, but stay near enough that you can hear her. When she starts whimpering, wait. As soon as she becomes quiet, enter the room, mark and reward. (If you are not familiar with marker training I can post a link for you...) Let her out of the crate...

Try again a short time later; wait until she's NOT crying to reward, and leave her in the crate and leave again. Wait for silence and reward, and let her out of the crate. etc , etc.

Maybe Connie will chime in here; I know she had a dog that was a screamer when left alone in the crate and she solved it with marker training...

Just went through this with my pup. Honestly who is going to be the boss, the dog or you? I put her night crate in the garage, with a sheet over it, and a clock radio tuned to the local classical station. She has learned, when I shut that door to the garage, I'm not coming back until the morning, or if it's still early, one quick jaunt to let her outside to potty. What I don't do is let her know that whimpering, crying, etc, is going to get her anywhere. My GSD needs to know who is boss as she is cunning. She has dual personality right now. Side 1 she is the little puppy, awww feel sorry for me, yada, yada, and she plays it like a card. Side 2 is the dominant side, I'm going to do what I want. I've turned my back a few times and she starts doing things that I don't much like, like peeing where she wants. Her day crate is in the kitchen, and when I'm first out of site she whimpers. After a few minutes she quiets down and starts playing with her kong, chew bone, or lays down for a nap. I'll make a run through there to get to my washer and dryer. At first she would whimper, now she doesn't because I do not make eye contact, do not slow as I walk past the crate, nothing. Do not acknowledge this unwarranted behavior at all. Tessa screamed bloody murder the first few nights but dogs love routine and your dog will get it eventually. When it's time for her to go to bed, I mark the crate with treats and leave. No night night honey and all that, no gushing. I mark and leave the garage and I don't return until the AM. Same thing when it's day crate time. Her toys are in there, she is safe, and I'm on about my business of cleaning, cooking, washing clothes, etc. Some say to keep the dog tethered at all times when you are home, I don't do that. When I have activities I'm trying to complete for the save of time and I can't give 100% attention to the dog, she goes in the day crate and no amount of whimpering is going to get her out. She gets back out when I'm done with what I need to do, and she is calm. That means a lot of crate time right now but I'm teaching her the better she minds the less time she has to spend in the crate, and that the crate isn't some vile, wretched place. Good luck, and I would not give the dog drugs, very poor advice. Put the crate in the garage or the furthest place from you when you go to bed. Don't let anyone tell you this is bad either. If the dog is safe from exterior forces (animals, people, etc), is fed and watered, and is safe from abuse then you are doing OK. Dogs whimper and cry out of fear or to get what they want (dominance). Sooner or later your dog will figure out that there is nothing to fear. Stay the course. The dog will train you to do what it wants if you let it, don't.

 Quote: Tommy DeVito

My GSD needs to know who is boss as she is cunning. She has dual personality right now. Side 1 she is the little puppy, awww feel sorry for me, yada, yada, and she plays it like a card. Side 2 is the dominant side, I'm going to do what I want. I've turned my back a few times and she starts doing things that I don't much like, like peeing where she wants.

Tommy, she's a puppy, for crying out loud, not the cunning wolf from Little Red Riding Hood...
If she's peeing where you don't want, then you aren't doing a good job of getting her outside to pee in a timely fashion. Hence the suggestion for tethering, where you can see when the puppy needs to go outside, before she gets a chance to piddle inside...

Wow. That's a lot of humanizing.

BTW, house-training problems are just that: training problems.

 Quote: Tommy DeVito

She has dual personality right now. Side 1 she is the little puppy, awww feel sorry for me, yada, yada, and she plays it like a card. Side 2 is the dominant side, I'm going to do what I want.

It seems that way sometimes with dogs, especially when they are younger and still prone to puppy moments.
In reality though, it has an awful lot more to do with us as owners and trainers.

The biggest factor is that generally, we have widely varying tolerance levels. What typically seems cute and puppyish can seem calculated and manipulative when we are tired, frustrated or just plain fed up.

Not only that, but our varying tolerances sometimes cause us to be inadvertantly inconsistant with our pups, leading to erratic behavior, that again seems like a split-personality. In reality, the dog is unsure of the correct behavior, so it keeps experimenting to see what works and what doesn't.

Most importantly, though, is that we as owners of dogs have to commit ourselves to consistancy and correct and constant management of our dogs. Couple with fairness and good care, this is the best way to have dogs as pleasant companions and enjoyable training partners.

It helps to have firmly established dog rules, that are never bent nor broken, even when the puppy is sick, or it's cold out, or it's three a.m. and it just doesn't seem worth the fight.

Our house rules for both kids and dogs are written out and on the fridge. It helps keep it clear for everyone- myself included.

My #1 rule with dogs is, until the dog has proven itself to be 100% reliable in the house, crate & or tethers will ALWAYS be employed.

Reliable means that the dog doesn't EVER piddle or poo within the four walls of my home. If they have accidents on leash, the leash gets shorter and crate time increases.

If a dog is peeing outside, and then inside 5 minutes later, I'd have a vet check-up on the dog. A dog should be fully voiding it's bladder the first time, barring distraction or a medical condition. Watch the dog and make sure she has ample opportunity to fully void her bladder and bowels before returning to the house.

It means the dog doesn't counter surf, trash dive or chew on my property.

It means the dog has, at a minimum basic and reliable obedience: leave it, crate, place and recall.

Until those requirements are satisfied, a dog is never permitted to be loose in the home. It's for their own safety and my peace of mind.