We got a 6 month old Japanese spitz puppy 2 weeks ago. We have been crate training her and it had been going well until 3 days ago. She is typically a quiet dog, and has barked less than once a day since we got her 2 weeks ago. 3 days ago, we started taking her out of the crate more - letting her play / sleep during the day for periods in my husband's office. She now absolutely loathes getting into the crate. We know she is capable of holding her pee/poop through the night (6-7 hours) and she never used to wake up before we did. This morning, she woke us up at 5am barking and whining.

She has peed in her crate 2 evenings in a row when we went for dinner even though she went outside for a potty break 2 hours before. It almost seems like she barks and works herself up into a excited frenzy until she cannot control her bladder and has to pee.

What did we do wrong? How can we reverse the "bad habits" that she's learnt over the last 2 days?

You have started what's called the Pee Wars. She is upset with the new schedule and is showing her frustration the only way she knows, barking and peeing, poop may soon come. Many dogs actually lilke their crate because it gives them a sense of security and comfort. Use that thought to train her with treats only when she goes to the crate willingly. No treats at all when she comes out. She must associate treats with going to the crate, not coming from the crate. Any other changes in the home or family?

No, there have not been other changes other than my husband letting her out more than often than before.
This morning she actually ignored her favorite treats! And she lay down outside the crate not wanting to enter the crate. She usually dashes in after the treats! (special homemade liver treats that she loves)

OK I will stop giving her treats when coming out of the crate.

She was barking so much this morning and I was worried she would pee. She quietens down when my husband or I are in the room (and she's in the crate). Is this separation anxiety and how come she developed this out of the blue?

Her emotional state is not stagnant, she is changing and this could very well be anziety. How To Deal With Dog Separation Anxiety

You have done nothing wrong at all, some dogs just react badly when their owners leave and currently the dog associated the crate with being left alone.

You need to break her out of that thought of "if I go in here, mum and dad are going to leave me".

Where is the crate located overnight?
I have found one of the best ways to train them to sleep all night is to have the crate in the bedroom with you.
I go as far as replacing my nightstand with the crate for a while just so that the pup is nice and close to you (you can slip your fingers between the bars for comfort during the night) but they are still locked away.
Gradually you can move the crate further and further away from the bed, and eventually the room once they are sleeping all night.

As for when you go out during the day and the evening there are a few different methods, you will have to work out which one you think would be best for your dog.
Have a read through ballengers link, it explains separation anxiety and gives some good ways to deal with it.

I personally use the method of gradually increased time.
I start with just a minute or so in the crate, if the dog behaves and doesn't cry it gets let out and gets a treat.
If the dog cries and carries on I sit and wait until it has calmed down, and then let it out.

Once the dog is fine being left in there for a few minutes step it up to 5-10, wait until the dog is calm, let out and reward and so on...

Eventually you can do the same thing but LEAVE the house for 10-15 minutes and come back in. Gradually stepping it up to an hour or more.

It's a slow process, but effective.

Thank you both for your responses. Natsu is a difficult one.

Shazamataz, her crate is in my husband's office. He works from home and so is able to spend most of the day with her. She in the crate, or sleeping in my husband's office. (oh yes and we stay in an apartment, so I can't really get her out quickly)

It came to a point last week where she had to have someone in the room with her all the time. She would bark if she was alone in the room for more than a minute. He has now resorted to putting her in her crate in his office and he sits in the dining to do his work, then popping in to give her a treat when she's quiet. I think she is now more comfortable in her crate and being alone in the room during the day. She doesn't bark much during the day now (from 8am to 5pm with toilet and play breaks in between)

Early in the morning is a different matter. Yesterday morning, my husband had to get up for work at 5am. She naturally woke up too and wouldn't stop barking until 6am. She finally settled down at 6am and I then took her out for her morning walk at 6.40am.

This morning, she woke up at 6.25am (my alarm to take her down goes off at 6.30am)and wouldn't stop barking. I waited to go to her until around 6.40am. When I entered the room she quieted, and I gave her a treat. I went to change so that I could take her down and when I re-entered the room, she had peed in her crate. :(

Her last pee before going to bed is at 11.45pm. I try to make it as late as possible so that she can hold her bladder the whole night.

I then try to feed her, but she's so fussy with food! I am trying to wean her off Eukanuba (that was what the pet shop was feeding her) and am trying to feed her with Wellness, but she sometimes refuses to eat at all! I think we are giving her too many treats.

Should I let her bark it out in the morning? But I worry she will pee in her crate because we're still toilet training her. Do you think putting the crate in my bedroom will really work?

I would like to update on our progress so far.

We have been leaving our puppy in her crate just outside our room door where she can see us at night (with the door open of course). This seems to be working very well so far! She doesn't stress out in the morning not being able to see us, and when I wake up at 6.45 to take her downstairs, she's usually lying down in her crate quietly, only getting up when I approach. She hasn't had an accident in the house for 5 days thus far. However, she still dislikes being by herself in a room. I cannot leave the crate somewhere else and watch TV or she will start whining/barking/scratching.

Once she can see us, she's fine.

I hope I'm doing the right thing...