We have a pure bred (papers and things) Labrador puppy who needs some correction.

He's good when we are home. He's submissive around other dogs (and cats... there is a kitten across the street that has done nothing to him at all but he will hide behind whoever is walking him.) he doesn't beg at the table, nor does he beg when other people have food. He is bilingual (a joke. He knows his commands in both Spanish and English...) and listens to both myself and my roommate when we tell him to sit/stay/lay down etc. He has learned to not go to the bathroom inside (unless he absolutely can't hold it anymore, then he uses the laundry room.)

He is a very good and somewhat behaved puppy.

When he gets excited, he will start jumping, scratching and nipping. I've gotten him to stop actually biting, and almost broke his habit of raking his claws down a person out of sheer excitement...

One thing neither of us can break is his destructive habits. I've tried several ways of communicating to him that we don't want him chewing up furniture or the remotes. Starting from giving him plenty of alternative options (toys and such), trying to wear him out before either of us leave for work, putting the spiciest hot sauce I could find on the parts he's begun to chew on (the kind that burns your nose. It was my "bright" idea... and it worked... but it stains....) Judging from the "obvious guilty dog" look he gives either of us, he KNOWS he's not supposed to.

He's tore up all of his toys, his puppy bed, the cushions of the chairs outside as well as the chairs themselves, a humidifier, the vacuum hose, ... and several remotes with the batteries still inside them... Not to mention the knife he chewed the handle of.... I came home to that. Don't know if my roommate or his daughter left that out, but yea... that made me want to throw up. My roommate keeps asking me what to do, because I have a decent amount of knowledge when it comes to dogs. However, I've exceeded my research and ability at this point.

Just short of sending the puppy to Petsmart's training school (1st class is free, but consecutive classes are $50 each, I think....), but I'm not 100% sure they will be able to break the destructive addiction...? And the longer it takes to break him out of it, the harder it will be.

Anyone have any other ideas?


Herp Derp