My husband and I recently got a puppy. Since I am a stay at home mom I figured it would work out perfectly because the little guy wouldn't be home alone all the time. I knew right from the start that it was going to take work, and I'm not afraid of putting the work in but I do need some help.
With the time he has had with me he understands "lay down" "Go Potty" "Sit" he's actually asleep in his crate with the door open right now. I've read that anytime he tries to sleep to put him in there so that he associates that this is a good place to be. We also crate him when we leave and this is where the problems come in. He barks and cries and it seems like it's the whole time we are gone because his face is soaked when I return. If I crate him, he poops in there. Then proceeds to pace and walk all over it and is a poop covered and even more of a hot mess when we get back. When I say we leave him.. I mean I leave for like 15-20 minutes to take my daughter to school and to pick her up. At night.. when I put him in the crate its in my room and he is snoring before I even hit my pillow. Im so confused.. are we expecting too much from him already.. is he too young to have a diagnosis of Separation Anxiety? I would prefer not to medicate him. He is very much my shadow during the day, always wants to be where I am. Is there something I could or can do differently so that he doesn't feel like he's going to be left, and if he is left for a small amount of time, be comfortable enough to know we are coming back.
Also.. I have him on a three a day feeding schedule and I know when he's due to poop. I take him out, I say go potty and he does. (I'm also aware that we can't expect him to hold it as he is too young.) I'm just not sure where to go at this point. There is so much conflicting info to read.

He may have separation anxiety, or he might just be too worked up when you put him in his crate. Something I would suggest would be to let him out to go potty, then put him in there about half an hour before you actually leave. Make sure the crate is close by you so he can see you're still there, and maybe sit down and relax with a book or TV. Your sense of being calm will influence him, and he should also mellow right down. It's important to give about half an hour so it's enough time for him to wind down before leaving. If you can't afford half an hour, then even 10 minutes should help. Good luck, hope you can figure something out!