Always keep a good eye on your dog. The moment you look away is the moment they spring into action. If you leave your house put them in a room that you don't mind them having an accident in.
When you come home if they have had an accident, be sure to scold them by being loud and using simple words like "bad" or "no". Do not hurt them because that will just make them afraid.
If you catch them doing it while you are in the room, take them outside immediately and if they finish before you can, then scold them. If you do not reinforce how bad it is then they will never learn.
Another trick is to always have them go to the bathroom in one spot. I use a dog run that has large sized pieces of gravel in it. I always have my dogs go in there.
Set up a place such as that so that they get used to one area. If you do this but they go while outside (not on a walk but around your home) that is not in their usual area, scold them because they can't be allowed to just go anywhere or else they'll get back into the habit of going in your house. Also try to have them go out at the same time everyday.
20 minutes after they eat is a good estimate and before you go to bed and after you wake up.
Always make it around the same time so that they can also get used to that.
Feeding them at the same time will also help. I would suggest not letting your dogs go to the bathroom on your lawn because it will wilt or kill flowers and grass. Instead set aside an area on the side of your house. Clean it regularly because a dog is more willing to go to the bathroom if it is in a clean area. Also when you want them to go to the bathroom say something like "go potty" or "go poopy".
This may sound childish but it will help them get accustomed to it so that if you are leaving the house, you can just take them out and tell them to "go potty".
This may take some time but when you need to make sure they don't leave a surprise around your house when you're gone it is a good trick. To keep them from chewing things, always scold them and be sure to give them Greenies or other dogs biscuits regularly.
Having lots of chew toys will also help. If they howl a lot while you are trying to sleep putting them in a kennel and sitting or standing above it while shaking pennies in a can whenever they howl, will help.
If you have a golden retriever, be sure to be careful with them going up and down stairs for they tend to have bad bones, and feed them measured amounts because goldens also tend to overeat.
If you have trouble with them dirtying something like a couch by rubbing up against it, get shock pads. If you put them right next to the part where they like to rub then they will avoid it within a matter of days. These do not shock hard.
They only surprise your dog but enough so that your dog will avoid that area. After a week or so you can try taking them away to see if your dog will stop rubbing.
If he starts again, put out the mats again. If you need more advice just e-mail me.
Good luck!