Barking in crate when mom is watching

[Stacy]

Can we troubleshoot another new issue I'm having? I'm going to ask the trainers too, but we always have such good ideas here.

Maggie started this scent work class. I think it's going to be fun. But it's one dog out in the training area at a time and the rest are crated in full sight, across the room against the wall. I put her in a plastic crate because that's what she uses at home. 

She's at complete attention, standing at the crate door watching me. And I'm sitting in a chair at full attention watching her. And I'm sure she can feel my stress, but I already know this isn't going to go well. She starts barking. Not all the time, but intermittently. And it's loud, distracting, and embarrassing, and no one else's dog is barking. So I go over and sit next to the crate. It doesn't seem to change the frequency of barking. So I opened the door and practically sat inside the crate with her. That did stop her barking, but not really what I want to do every week. 

She's crate trained at home. I crate her when I work. It's not her favorite thing, but she goes in and as far as I know she doesn't bark in there. I check on her intermittently and she's not barking. She isn't barking when I leave or when I get home. She won't take treats inside the crate at all. So I can't just get her something to chew on while she waits. And recently she has just started going in and hanging out in Willow's wire crate in the kitchen. That may just be to get some peace from the puppy, but with the door open she goes in and lays down and looks very relaxed. 

So what do we do? I can try a wire crate. I don't know if I should just ignore her and hope we don't get kicked out of the club before she stops. Or stay out of the room until it's our turn or... there's got to be a trick. How do I get her to just relax and wait? I'm not leaving. She's completely fine. 

[GBK]

He was a funny Ahole in Rally Obedience, figured out I didn't have treats in the ring....  Still did awesome LOL  Baci will start training for Rally soon, just getting him started in Nosework.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Oh those ribbons.....he was amazing!

[GBK]

Thank you Jane, he definitely brought joy to everyone he met.

[Stacy]

I'm sorry for your loss. But he looks so proud sitting there in front of his ribbons. What a lovely tribute to him. That must have been such a great dog life. 

[GBK]

This was a week before I lost him.  He loved to pose, there will never be another like him.  I had a couple of friends not get a ribbon picture like this before their dogs suddenly passed.  I am so happy I got this done in time for the picture and that smiling face!