Hi and welcome to YT

! You might want to try a Thundershirt - it works for some, and not for others. I bought one on Ebay for my foster doggie and it was only $19 -- I can't tell if it really helps him or not...?
As for the crating, what about trying something like
this instead? It has room for a bed, toys, water/food, and a pee pad...it works really well for when you're away, but doesn't confine the pup to a super small space.