crate question

If he looks anything like the pic in your avatar, I'd say the reason he's (literally) biting at your ankles and racing around your office is because he's a puppy!!!  If he's out in the room and you're there, that means play time to him!
He's clearly associated his crate with "quiet time" which is great.  Some dogs take forever to learn this, so consider yourself lucky. 
Lots of people see the crate as a puppy-only tool.  You know your dog could end up loving that crate until the day he dies, right?  Why are you looking to phase out the crate if he clearly enjoys being in it and considers it his private bedroom?  It's also the perfect place to put him when you can't watch him. 
Sometimes puppies sleep all day, and sometimes they're so wired they're bouncing off the walls.  They love to chew and play with everything they're not supposed to be touching, that's just their nature!  If you're trying to work and you've already exercised and played with the dog and he's still bouncing all over the place, simply put his in his crate so he knows it's time to be quiet.  Then take him out when you're ready to play with him again. 

yes he is a puppy...i am only hoping to ween him off the crate so that he can be calm when he gets tired no matter where he is. if we are at a friends house or my parents house and i dont have easy access to his crate...i would rather not have to DEPEND on a crate for his whole life.

Ya, good point.  Sometimes a puppy has a hard time telling when he's tired.  Like my pup will go and go and go, but as soon as we bring him to his crate, he's like "Oh ya, now that you mention it, I am getting kind of...ZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzz"
Whereas out in the office with you and all kinds of physical and mental stimulation he just keeps on tickin'.  That could be what's happening.  After he grows through his bouncy hyperactive puppy stage then he'll probably know when to chill out.  If there's one thing puppies don't do, it's chill out, unless, like you said, the dog goes to his crate and has a moment to reflect on how much energy he actually has left!
I think after the puppy stage, a lot of things change, including this type of behavior. 
I'm personally praying the chewing-on-everything stops, myself!

Although I'm sure this isn't the comment you're looking for, I'm glad to hear bosco's behaving like a normal little hyperactive puppy!  It means he's got to be feeling MUCH better!!!  []

I think leroi makes a great point that bosco likes his crate . . . its his "down time" and he knows it.  Many dogs never grasp this concept . . . . .

I understand that it can be difficult to get things done with a puppy around, especially if you can't constantly watch him.  The only advice I have to offer you is more exercise.  If he spends a lot of time in his crate, comes out to go to the bathroom, and gets three short walks every day thats not very much activity . . . . particularly for a puppy.

I think you need to engage him in some real heart pumping activity for a period each day.  This will serve a couple things, a) exercise which is great in and of itself; b) it will tire him out so as to let you get some work done; and c) he'll have fun with you.

Once he's tired, let him sleep outside of his crate, like on his bed near you while you work.  This will help create the notion that the crate isn't the only place to rest.

You can train a puppy to start learning that not every second with you is going to be playtime... I would suggest leashing him and tying the leash either to something sturdy near you or to your body. Step on it firmly so he has just a little slack - enough to move around a bit but not enough to wander off or get into anything - and give him a chew toy. Then practice ignoring him. You might want to try wearing knee length boots while you do this. []