What can I use to line our dog's crate that he wont chew/destroy??

My dog used to have the SAME problem.

You can either choose to scold him when he chews it by spraying him with a spray bottle or just scolding him, whatever works for you and your dog...OR

You could just choose not to line the crate, since it's such a big problem. I have 2 dogs, and one of them uses a carpet at the bottom of his crate, although the other one doesn't care. Neither of them care really. Good luck! If you have any questions please ask me!

Crate training is needed for some dogs, my dogs will urinate and defecate all of my carpet or floors if not crated and have to be watched 24/7 and still are crated at 6, 5 and 3. I wouldn't mind being crated ONLY at night and for short periods while you're away, no longer then 6 hours and 8+ hours at night as long as I was let out every 4 hours, I wouldn't like sniffing butts though too. Get a crate and put it in your room no matter what your husband says, only use for crating while you sleep and when you can no longer supervise, give the dog treats when it goes in there and praise well, ignore if the dog tries to break out and whine, the dog will get used to it eventually. Once the dog is in the crate for nights and such else for awhile, you can start potty training by tying the dog to your waist during the day and take the dog out every so often and take the dog for long walks making sure he goes wee and maybe poop, watch the dog constantly as well and if you catch the dog doing something naughty say NO in a stern voice and put outside or leash and take outside, the dog will get it. Once the dog is half trusting, let the dog be more less supervised and even let the dog roam free after a few months of no accidents in the house, the dog will soon be potty trained and you can either throw away the crate or the dog will most likely enjoy the crate after a while, my dogs will go sleep during the night in it with the door open. As long as you don't have fires weekly then you should be okay, if you're worried about a break in just get a good home alarm system that can detect fires and burglaries and such else and you will be just fine, I don't really think those thoughts are reasonable.

You must make his crate a pleasant place to be sounds like he is suffering from serious separation anxiety, and panicing when he is put in to this crate.

He is still a baby and has clearly come to learn that being put in a crate is a negative experience. He clearly sees it as some form of punishment. A dog won't readily accept being crated it must be introduced gradually and carefully but unfortunately the damage has been done and he will always associate his crate with bad things

He needs a nylabone to relieve his chewing tendancies and he also needs to be enrolled into training classes.

Is there no alternative to keeping him locked away for excessively long hours (that would drive anyone wild) could he not stay with a neighbour friend or relative while you work?

Why to you need to crate him when you are in the house with him at night?

Definately advice training him, poor baby sounds scared and confused, shutting him up as you have will only make this problem worse, a crate if used properly can be a good thing to keep a dog safe but if used improperly it is a very negative thing.

Seek professional advice from your vet and a professional dog behaviourist/trainer asap to save this poor dog more misery

Sometimes it's boredom. We were advised to get a rubber conch, which you put some sort of food in, like cheese or liver cake or something the dog has to try hard to remove. This gives them something to work at and they get a reward for doing it! He needs plenty of exercise before he goes in the crate to hopefully tire him out too.

Just use old blankets-there is no point in spending money on expensive cushoins etc while he still chews.

steel, with some cheap toys in there that he can destroy

Rusty nails.