Advice please! - How can I stop my puppy barking himself hoarse when we are out!

We picked our pup up friday and I took some days off work to settle him in and get him used to his crate and to being on his own, I started with leaving him in his crate with something exciting like his fav toy or a treat for a short time whilst I was in the room, found he barked alot to start with but by clicker training him to be quiet in his crate he can now be in his crate happily when we are home and stay quiet. Then started to leave him in room alone but found hearing us in the house made him worse, than he seemed to be when left alone in house in crate for short periods, he seemed to bark when we left unless put in when asleep or with a treat but would be settled, generally asleep when we got home. Increased the time he was at home gradually and ensured he had a treat or something to occupy him when left also had vigorous play and time to wind down before being left so he was nice and sleepy. All seemed to be going well but I went back to work yesterday and he was left from 8 to 12pm when my OH came home for lunch then just 12.30pm til 3pm, but he had hardly any voice last night, there are builders working just outside and the noise seems to stop him from settling, I leave the radio on to try to distract from this and he has his DAP plugged in and a blanket with our scent on. I feel awful that he has obviously been upset so much yesterday, he is only being left three days a week and for no more than four hours at a time will he get used to this and settle down? Just feel so bad!
Also should I worry bout his losing his voice anything I can do to sooth his obviously sore throat?

Sorry for such long post!

try a little warm milk and small amount of honey, good for sore throats other than that sorry no advice

Someone with more experience will advise shortly....

Thanks for the advice! He had a bit of an upset tummy the other day so not sure milk would be a good idea? What do you think dont want to upset it again?

make sure its goats milk ....

When you say you picked your puppy up on Friday, do you mean last Friday?

Yeah friday the 11th of feb

Hi Hannah it sounds as if you are doing all the right things.. it is very early days yet and your puppy needs time to adjust to his new routine...

I find the radio is best on radio 4 ...it has voices
I would also give honey dissolved in warm water but not any milk particularly in view of the runny tummy , if your puppy has lost all the enzyme to process milk and is now one of the 70%+ dogs who are lactose intollerant you may make his runny tummy worse.

Thanks Mini is reasuring to hear we doing the right things just feel so awful thinking about him all upset, am sure with time he'll will get used to the routine, probably upsets me more leaving him then him being left!
I think radio is on radio 2 at the mo cause couldnt get it to pick up many channels but OH is going to sort it out tonight! Will try the honey I have a sore throat at mo so feel extra sorry for him as know how he feels!

Hannah if we rationalise why your puppy is crying it seems more manageable...
He is being left alone for what may be the first time in his little life, instinct and his mother taught him if he cries someone wall come...
It will help him if he learns your going is no big deal you will always return...this may help..

Thanks I remember reading your post and do try to do what you say in it we dont give him attention straight away when we come in and he only gets to come out if hes quiet same with his pen outside (we have a shared courtyard so have a pen for him to go toilet in) he is not attention seeking when we are home and has learnt practically from day one that sitting nicely gets our attention not jumping up or barking and if he wants attention he sits nicely at our feet! If we're busy he just lies down quietly somewhere. He did follow me around when we first got him but doesnt now (unless I go in the kitchen then he does cause he knows thats where the foods kept ) he is fine if hes in the room and not in his crate and we go in another room and come back but dont want to leave him unsupervise out of his crate yet. He doesnt cry at night when he's in his crate, but is in our room so he can still see us.