[wdcbooks]

My wife is a professional dog trainer and what follows is her response.

First, I want to make sure that he sees a vet for a checkup. It sounds like he came from a background that was less than optimal. 22 hours a day in a crate is abusive and the dog may have been mistreated or neglected. A sick dog will exhibit these behaviors, but he is most likely just having trouble adjusting.

Assuming the animal is healthy you shouldn't find that he starves himself to death. No healthy animal will forego food and water to the point of serious damage. If he eats little for a few days it shouldn't do any lasting damage.

She suggests that you make sure that the crate you have is a bit larger than is usual for small dogs and is one of the open construction wire crates. You should hang a food and a water dish so it is accesible from inside the crate. Keep the door open at all times and keep the crate in a central area.

Over the next few days the dog should get used to the house and become more comfortable. Don't force the issue, do not take away the crate. A calm low key approach should help him adjust to the new surroundings. Most crate trained dogs will not mess in their crate, but he may step just outside and go on the floor. I would carry him out every hour or so to make sure he gets a chance to go. Please give updates.

A note on crate training. While it is abusive to have an animal crated constantly, most dogs should be crate trained. Dogs naturally seek a den, and a crate is a natural substitute. There is no reason to let a young dog run free and destroy your house when crate training is relatively easy, quite humane, and effective.