I'm pretty sure I've asked this before, but somehow a whole bunch of stuff
I've saved has disappeared from my hard drive, so I need to ask again...

Macula is crate trained in a *very* limited way--she has always spent her
nights in the crate in our bedroom. She is really good at going in, but is
only quiet if we're in the room with her.

I want to increase the ways that we use the crate. Specifically I would
like to:

--be able to use the crate as a "time out/cool off" place. ie: when Macula
is getting too excited and endangering the boys (she sometimes forgets where
her feet are landing if she's busy bouncing, not good when rugrats are on
the floor), or when she's barking and being obnoxious, I would like to be
able to crate her until she calms down and/or the situation relaxes. Right
now, if she's in the crate without someone in the room she barks constantly.

--have her see the crate as a "safe retreat." Not now, but soon, the boys
are going to be madly dashing in all directions. I want one place in the
house that Macula knows she can go and be left alone. (Today Macula was
resting on the bed, Alex playing on the floor while I put some clothes away.
I turned around just in time to see Alex trying to feed a baby rattle to
Macula: before she could move her head away he grabbed her lip to try and
open her mouth. Macula was gentle and I intervened, but Macula deserves a
space of her own.)

--have her recognize the crate as "home" even when it's not in the bedroom.
I'm thinking ahead to the summer when we go to the cottage. The last time
Macula was there with us we couldn't leave her alone: anytime we tried to
leave her in the cottage she started making a major racket--barking,
whining, really stressed. I'd like to be able to take the crate this summer
and be able to have her be comfortable in the crate in the cottage if we
have to go somewhere with the boys and without her.

OK--that's what I want. Can any/all of this be acheived and if so how?

TIA

Marie