Dear Maggie,

I recently brought home a puppy, and he’s been just a joy to my entire family. We’ve had him three months, and he’s nearly housebroken, but we’re still having two consistent problems that are dampening a lot of the joy my family has in him. Neither my wife, nor I, can be home with him at all times, and any time we leave him unattended in the house, he chews something up. Its seems like it’s always something my wife adores. Her favorite shoes, her best throw pillows, the cord to her computer. He’s destroyed several of my things too, but mostly he seems to focus on hers. He’s also demolished a pile of the kids’ toys, and it’s heartbreaking. They loved him so much at first, but it’s fading fast. A lesser problem, but still a problem, is that we can’t get him to walk along willingly on his leash. He pulls and tugs and fights us, gets the leash in his teeth and chews on it, and so on.

My wife is at the end of her rope. She says if we can’t get this dog under control, he has to go. It would break my heart, but I can’t even blame her. Last night, while we were out to dinner, he chewed the upholstery on her brand new sofa. What can we do?

Signed,

In the Doghouse