Chewing, tearing up things

Well since he is outside the only thing I can think of is to build him a large kennel to keep him in while you are gone. I had a neighbor who had a golden lab and when he was home, the dog was allowed to play in the fenced in yard. But when he was gone, the dog was put into this outdoor kennel, similar to the picture I posted except his had a roof on top to keep the dog safe from the sun and weather.

I'm not really sure about the timing but maybe his gums are still itchy from the teeth growing out. We also have two 4-month old puppies right now and all they do is bite our toes, which can be very painful since their teeth are still really sharp. You could try giving Maxwell a chew toy. My dogs really like the ones that look like knotted bones. I also read somewhere, but I forget where, there's a spray you can use on furniture that repels dogs from chewing it. Hope this helps!