I have to agree with some of those above. As much as your dog howls in the crate- this is the best option for it. :( It's unfortunate and unpleasant for the dog and you, but it will be able to live with it for a few weeks while you sell and perhaps even get used to it! Just make sure your agent tells the viewing agents that there is a dog in there so there are no surprises.
Get 24 hours notice for showings, and then the days when you will have showings, put him/her in the crate before you go to work. The dog should not be running around the house- it will discourage people from coming through.
It would be best to have it right out of the home altogether, but since this is not an easy situation for you- the crate is sufficient.
I have gone through many homes with dogs howling away in crates. It's not the best situation, but it is quite common, and won't discourage too many buyers if it is secured away. If you are serious about selling- you need to get as much access to your home as possible!
Good luck!

I had a note added on my listing that a dog was on the property and to call me before showing. I only worked 10 minutes from home. I was surprised by the number of agents who didn't see the note or ignored it. My agent would get a call, "There's a dog on the property, blah, blah, blah." Luckily most of those visits where when I was home. Next time I will hang a sign on the doorknob so they can't miss it.

You learn something new all the time. Here in Indiana is almost exclusively done by appointment. I could not imagine sellers with children showing their homes regularly with minimal notice.

I think getting the small kennel for your dog while you are away is the best way to go. My dogs love being in there.

[quote=rice8702]I think getting the small kennel for your dog while you are away is the best way to go. My dogs love being in there. [/quote]

Maybe if you don't want to keep your dogs in the kennel all day, you can ask the landlord to put them into the kennel when they come to show the place. That would mean arriving 10 minutes early and maybe getting a little dirty. A good agent would help out with this but it depends on hows yours feels.