I'll comment on a bunch of things at once!
The crate thing and punishment. Turn it into something positive-put him in there with something he likes-presto it's not punshment anymore! (works for some-but not all dogs)
Slow Down?? (that's why I said yeah,right) It doesn't happen! I'm laughing with you all not at you.
Hope your's isn't a climber. I put Sugar in an x-pen for 1/2 a second-she climbed out! I'm going to look for one with a lid that ties down-or something! (I wonder if it's a tri-thing)
As for the socks, shoes, etc. I don't leave ANYTHING down. It becomes fair game! Not the remotes, not paper, nothing. One thing-if you give your dogs pigs ears, rawhide, stuffed animals-just remember what they are made of -leather and fabric. So anything similar is also fair game. (don't get me wrong-Mine have a basket of stuffed toys, I just don't leave anything out I don't want chewed. Although my couch cushions are looking pretty sad with rounded corners and missing stuffing. Sigh…Guess I'll have to make more)