Something that I've heard helps is getting a clock or something that ticks; it sounds to the puppy like a heartbeat, since he's missing his mom and siblings. A hot water bottle might also help.
Whatever you do, don't give in when he cries by opening the crate and letting him out. You can go and comfort him, stick your fingers through the bars, etc., but don't let him have his way or he'll only continue to cry.
And always make the crate a positive thing. If he's wary of it, try feeding him or giving him treats in it, so that he associates it with good things. Don't force him to get in the crate.
Good luck with him~ :)
Well... think about it this way. Your new puppy is ONLY 8 weeks old, so it's very natural for him to be whining and crying alone at night. Dogs are pack animals and he is used to having his 'pack' around. You need to let your puppy know from the start, that you are pack leader. Anyways, like I said it's very natural and will probably continue for at least a couple of weeks and up to two months. His whines and cries are because he is used to his mom rescuing him and he thinks if he is left alone he is danger.
As Wildbreeze already mentioned, you need to be proactive in your approach. I think there is a better way of going about this though, aside from just ignoring your new puppy. You should go about this at a very gradual pace. That way your puppy does not devolp any kind of isolation anxiety in the future. This puppy is going to look up to you as pack leader, so you should take on that role.
Start off by leaving your puppy in the crate for shorter periods of time during the day. If he starts whining and crying when you leave, reassure him for a bit. If he is whining and crying uncontrollably during the day, you need to let him out and spend some time with him. This way you are making sure your dog knows that you are coming back and that you do care. Which will establish a trustworthy and loyal bond. After about 10 minutes put him back in his crate. When you leave, if he continues to cry and bark, give him a firm 'NO!' (This will also be important in your puppy's training, so as teach him what 'NO' means.) After he is quiet for about five minutes or so, return to his crate and praise him. Let him out for a few minutes and put him back in. Practice leaving and returning several times until he becomes familiar with the routine. Eventually he will learn that you leaving does not mean you are gone forever and he will feel safe. After that you can start leaving him alone for longer periods of time. This may be time consuming, but it is the best way to train your new puppy, IMO. I worked briefly as an assistant dog trainer at petsmart and this is what they taught me.
A few other things you may consider is getting a kong toy. Don't know if you are familiar with these, but you can look them up. Puppies will chew on them for hours. It's a rubber toy that you fill with a special peanut butter from any petsmart, petco, etc. This will help distract and keep him occupied during the training when you are leaving him alone for longer periods.
Please keep in mind that after leaving your puppy in there for a long time, it's best to take him outside and make sure he is not needing to use the restroom.
Always make sure there is fresh water left out, and periodically leave food in there. As long as you are sure all your puppy's physical needs are met, then the training should go smoothly and your dog will be trained shortly. You just have to stick with it!
After the initial adjustment period, Don't ever reward your puppy for crying and whining (I know that's obvious) but that also means no physical contact.
Always say a firm 'NO!' when he continues to whine and cry.
Don't let your puppy go to the bathroom in the crate.
& Try not to leave him locked up for more than 8-10 hours a day (after you are done with training, of course)
Aside from crate training.... if your puppy is whining and crying at random times don't always scold them. Think first. Maybe it's something you can fix, maybe they are needing something. Maybe there toy got stuck, there hungry, need to go out, etc.
If your puppy starts whining and crying for no apparent reason, then this will quickly become a learned habit if you don't get a handle on it. This is where I would recommend lots of daily exercise (appopriate for the breed) try to make him as tired as possible before sleep. There should be a fair balance of play, training, and exercise during the day while training. Often times this will remind him of your love for him and stop his barking/whining for the rest of the day. Remember to pay lots of attention to your puppy when he is quiet, which will make him understand that he gets attention when he is being good and not begging. Remember that you can train your dog to be quiet upon request. You'd be surprised how quickly dogs pick up keywords when being trained properly. Tell him 'NO WHINING' 'NO CHEWING' 'NO BARKING' and eventually he will learn the meanings of all of those words. I find it works better than a simple 'NO' at times. Over time you will not have to raise your voice and be so firm. Once he is trained, a gentle reminder saying 'STOP -insert bad behavior here' will curb this behavior.
Also keep in mind, that once your dog is trained and not whining/barking as much. If he starts whining and crying a lot and he hasn't been doing it before, be sure to get a check by the vet to be on the safe side. (again, assuming your training is done)
Good luck with you new pup! I hope this helps you out some.
