shedding/anxiety

Question
I have a 3yr old retriever/shepard mix maybe shiba-inu/retriever mix(we're not sure - he was adopted from the pound).

My question is what do you think is the best product to use for excessive shedding?

The other issue with him is the attention getters.  He licks the couch or bed when he is lying on it,eats tissues out of the bathroom garbage can and chews our socks when we're not in the room with him.  Any suggestions for this behavior?

Answer
A certain amount of shedding is inevitable.  I fight it with frequent brushing with a slicker brush.  It has closely spaced curved wire teeth.  Other people have good results with brushes with fewer, large, cone shaped rubber teeth.  Still others use what looks like a flexible saw blade.  Make sure he is getting a good diet.  Most dogs thrive on most chows as long as nearly all their calories come from it.  It is very difficult to make sure a dog is getting the complete and balanced diet they need unless they are eating a commercial chow and little else.  A few dogs on the less expensive chows may need a teaspoon of liquid cooking oil once a day to keep their coat and skin in good shape.  

No real help on the licking.

You can try keeping the wastepaper basket out of his reach along with your socks.  You could also restrict him when you can't watch him, using a crate or a tie down, a short length of chain with a snap on it.  

A mousetrap is very effective in making a dog leave something alone.  Most
dogs will stay away from anywhere they were surprised by a snap.  The best
part is that it is not you that is correcting the dog.  It works whether you
are around or not.  The mousetrap is very patient and is always on task as
long as you reset it.

Better than mousetraps when you aren't around is the crate.  Other dogs may
not be as bad as the young Labs I am plagued with.  Still your house and dog
will be much safer with the dog in a crate when you are away.  The dog may be
happier in its den than loose in the house.  It relaxes, it feels safe in its
den.  It rests, the body slows down reducing the need for water and relieving
its self.  Dogs that have been crated all along do very well.  Many of them
will rest in their crates even when the door is open.  I think the plastic
ones give the dog more of a safe, enclosed den feeling.  They are harder for
dogs to open too.    Metal ones can be put in a corner or covered with
something the dog can't pull in and chew.  Select
a crate just big enough for the full grown dog to stretch out in.

Leave it some toys.  Perhaps a Kong filled with peanut butter.  Don't leave
anything in the crate the dog might chew up.  It will do fine without even any
bedding.  You will come home to a safe dog and a house you can enjoy.

A dog that has not been crated since it was little, make take some work.
Start out just putting its toys and treats in the crate.  Praise it for going
in.  If you have been able to trust it with any bedding, put that in the crate.
Feed it in the crate.  This is also an easy way to maintain order at feeding
time for more than one dog.

Many dogs start to chew less after they are 3 years old.  don't give up on him now.  And thank you for giving him a home.  So many nice dogs are killed for lack of homes.