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I have two dogs, one of which I prefer to leave crated when I go out, but it has become impossible because of the first dog.
Max used to race down the stairs and into his crate when I got his kong, he'd go right in and eat it, no problems at all. But, the other dog, Millie would bark when she heard the door to his crate closing. So, Max started barking when he got in his crate. He'd race down, get the kong, and start barking and pushing at the door. I usually just closed him in, because A) I didn't want to let him see that he could get out that way, B)I had to leave, and C)I didn't want stuff destroyed. However, this progressed to a point where he will not get in the crate at all. Now he races down, sit in front, and then he will try to grab the kong from me. A few times i've just left him out, he's been fine, but others he's destroyed things. Plus, I would rather have him in the crate because in the event of an emergency and someone having to enter the house, it is safer for him and everyone else involved. He doesn't totally hate the crate, and he will go in there at other times. In fact, he went in it last night and slept for some time. If he goes in on his own, I usually give him treats while he is staying in there, and sometimes I'll shut the door for a little bit. But, there are other times that I need him to go in the crate when I tell him to (like Monday morning) and I have no clue what to do with him then. He did this before when he had a wire crate, but with that it was easier to lure him in with treats. As soon as I got the plastic crate, the problem was solved, and he was going in happily. A new crate would solve the problem, but I cannot afford a new crate every few months. How can I make Millie stop barking, so that Max will go in his crate?

>>I have two dogs, one of which I prefer to leave crated when I go out, but it has become impossible because of the first dog.
>>Max used to race down the stairs and into his crate when I got his kong, he'd go right in and eat it, no problems at all. But, the other dog, Millie would bark when she heard the door to his crate closing. So, Max started barking when he got in his crate. He'd race down, get the kong, and start barking and pushing at the door. I usually just closed him in, because A) I didn't want to let him see that he could get out that way, B)I had to leave, and C)I didn't want stuff destroyed. However, this progressed to a point where he will not get in the crate at all. Now he races down, sit in front, and then he will try to grab the kong from me. A few times i've just left him out, he's been fine, but others he's destroyed things. Plus, I would rather have him in the crate because in the event of an emergency and someone having to enter the house, it is safer for him and everyone else involved. He doesn't totally hate the crate, and he will go in there at other times. In fact, he went in it last night and slept for some time. If he goes in on his own, I usually give him treats while he is staying in there, and sometimes I'll shut the door for a little bit. But, there are other times that I need him to go in the crate when I tell him to (like Monday morning) and I have no clue what to do with him then. He did this before when he had a wire crate, but with that it was easier to lure him in with treats. As soon as I got the plastic crate, the problem was solved, and he was going in happily. A new crate would solve the problem, but I cannot afford a new crate every few months. How can I make Millie stop barking, so that Max will go in his crate?

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I have a feeling it wouldn't be as simple now as stopping her barking or changing crates. You didn't mention his age, what got destroyed, or whether it was the whole run of the house. There are intermediate ways to handle this such as giving him a room to be in or closing off some rooms or picking up the things he gets into. You may need a veterinary behavior specialist to help you sort this out. There may be separation anxiety involved, too. I have some articles at the link below my signature that could help. You might read "Separation Anxiety," "Destructive Chewing," and "Dogproofing" to start.
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Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series articles at http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=SRC&S=1&SourceID=47

Millie, the uncrated dog, is about 7 according to the SPCA, but we suspect her to be older. Max, the crated dog, is about 17 months old. Millie usually stays upstairs, has the run of whatever floor she is on, because there are gates to the top floor and the basement. Max stays in the basment. There's a gate there, but even if there wasn't, we can't even lure Millie in to the basement with food. Max is usually pretty good when I leave him, but I prefer not to do it. First, he sometimes gets in to things, and second, if there were ever an emergency in my house, he would be much safer in his crate. So far, he has only destroyed a pillow in my room, I think I left something open, because it's usually gated and the door is closed, so he can't get in there usually. He also pulled the shade off a window. He actually gets into more when i'm here than when i'm not.
Max goes in the crate at other times. He just goes in on his own at times and goes to sleep, and he has no problem with me closing the door then. He actually went in and out a few times just now because he knows he gets a treat for that. So, the actual crate isn't really a problem. Nonetheless, I am not looking forward to tomorrow.

>>Millie, the uncrated dog, is about 7 according to the SPCA, but we suspect her to be older. Max, the crated dog, is about 17 months old. Millie usually stays upstairs, has the run of whatever floor she is on, because there are gates to the top floor and the basement. Max stays in the basment. There's a gate there, but even if there wasn't, we can't even lure Millie in to the basement with food. Max is usually pretty good when I leave him, but I prefer not to do it. First, he sometimes gets in to things, and second, if there were ever an emergency in my house, he would be much safer in his crate. So far, he has only destroyed a pillow in my room, I think I left something open, because it's usually gated and the door is closed, so he can't get in there usually. He also pulled the shade off a window. He actually gets into more when i'm here than when i'm not.
>>Max goes in the crate at other times. He just goes in on his own at times and goes to sleep, and he has no problem with me closing the door then. He actually went in and out a few times just now because he knows he gets a treat for that. So, the actual crate isn't really a problem. Nonetheless, I am not looking forward to tomorrow.

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Sometimes dogs find the basement too isolating. You might try putting a crate for him in the area with the female and see if he's happier that way.
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Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series articles at http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=SRC&S=1&SourceID=47

I guess I should mention that it's not an unused basement. I spend most of my time at home there, and my room is there, so Max spends most of his time there. Millie is allowed in the basement, but we aren't able to lure her down the steps (she manages other steps in the house just fine). Both dogs are allowed on the main floor, and Millie is the only one that goes on the top floor for the time being. She doesn't really let Max come up there. Also, he is downstairs now because of Millie. Millie barks, which gets him barking. My dad had a heart attack earlier this year, and my mom said Max had to go downstairs because he was barking and stressing my dad out (Nevermind that Millie was the one actually barking most of the time, or she would bark and get him started up. My mom does not like Max, so she blames everything on him, and refuses to admit Millie is the problem). Anyway, his crate was upstairs before, and I don't think that would help, as it didn't in the past.
I'm wondering if he might like it if I put one of the chair cushions that he likes to sleep on in there. Maybe if his favorite sleeping thing was in his crate, he would go in it to sleep anyway, and I could just shut the door, instead of having to get him in the crate.

>>I guess I should mention that it's not an unused basement. I spend most of my time at home there, and my room is there, so Max spends most of his time there. Millie is allowed in the basement, but we aren't able to lure her down the steps (she manages other steps in the house just fine). Both dogs are allowed on the main floor, and Millie is the only one that goes on the top floor for the time being. She doesn't really let Max come up there. Also, he is downstairs now because of Millie. Millie barks, which gets him barking. My dad had a heart attack earlier this year, and my mom said Max had to go downstairs because he was barking and stressing my dad out (Nevermind that Millie was the one actually barking most of the time, or she would bark and get him started up. My mom does not like Max, so she blames everything on him, and refuses to admit Millie is the problem). Anyway, his crate was upstairs before, and I don't think that would help, as it didn't in the past.
>>I'm wondering if he might like it if I put one of the chair cushions that he likes to sleep on in there. Maybe if his favorite sleeping thing was in his crate, he would go in it to sleep anyway, and I could just shut the door, instead of having to get him in the crate.

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A veterinary behavior specialist may be your best bet, not only to evaluate the dogs in person, but to get a full history. That professional's opinion might carry some weight with your mother, too.
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Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series articles at http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=SRC&S=1&SourceID=47