Thanks all. I am more and more at ease with Rowdy as I let him go loose in the house more. At first I tied him to the coffee table or held the leash so he would follow me around. But today I've been letting him be loose with Jenny, and for the most part he has behaved. I have my squirt bottle ready if he goes either for the trash area or the cat box area, but he is being quite good. He likes to sleep! He went back to the bedroom to his little bed this afternoon for a nap on his own. I still don't think I'll let him the run of the house if I am gone, but he's easier than at first seemed possible.
He also was apparently crate trained in the mysterious past of his last four years. He goes right into the big crate I bought and eats his meals in there. So when the weather is bad and I need to leave for town, he can stay in the crate easily, I HOPE!
Thanks everyone for encouraging my friend and me about adopting Rowdy. See you, Debbie