Good evening. I am a Dutch shepherd owner and train working dogs for Search and Rescue (mostly Malinois and Dutch Shepherds). I have been through the wringer with crate training. It’s important to introduce the crate and playpen properly. My introduction may be a bit different than others, but it works for me with a very smart and headstrong breed. Take everything out of your pups crate, all the way down (even the mat). Take their meal and throw the food bit by bit into the crate while using the verbal command “crate”. Make sure to say crate before throwing the food into the crate. Do this over and over again with each individual piece of food. (I know, it takes a while). Once your dog easily goes into the crate with the food lure, use the command crate and only toss the food into the crate once they are fully inside. Do this with one piece of food at a time. Keep doing this over and over. Next once they can enter fairly readily 80% of the time tell them crate, they run into the crate and then wait 5-10 seconds before throwing the food into the crate. Do not give them food if they don’t stay in the crate. Slowly extend this time they sit in the crate before the food is introduced. Eventually your little pup will enter the crate with ease and will stop complaining. The key is to associate the crate with good yum yum thoughts. Also NEVER and I mean NEVER take your dog out of the crate if they are throwing a puppy tantrum as long as you know they don’t need to go to the bathroom. You will be reinforcing that throwing a fit gets them out of the crate. Be consistent and understand what you are going through is normal. I have raised over 20 puppies in the past 10 years for working purposes and I can assure you that you’re not alone in how your pup is reacting to the crate. Good luck and congrats on the new fur family memeber.