We find if he's with the other dogs he's fine - but not crated. I don't know why, we worked to acclimatize him to the crate and for awhile it was okay, but he took to cocking his leg and peeing outside of the wire crate, even if he'd just been outside and peed a bunch. We got an airline closed crate and he'd just pee all over himself in there.
So, he's loose in the second bedroom with Neb, and Xerxes is crated because Agis can be a bit boisterous with play and Xerxes is half Agis's size.
Perhaps that's a bad thing, that we didn't solidify him in a crate, but this is what works. He's fine if we leave with that configuration. We had to fool around a bit to come to that.
And since all his crates are now too big to fit in the wagon with actual dogs inside as well, we can't even crate him when we go away. But he has no accidents this way and knows to sit to be let out of the bedroom (we have an extra tall gate that he could clear, but doesn't, so we aren't going to complain about that).
Oh yes the bugs! Ugh! I figured they'd be bad, it's June. We have loaded up on PiActive, find it works as well/better than Deet, but isn't toxic - our vet receptionist was saying she even uses it on her dogs (I might spray their ears).
I AM looking forward to teaching Agis to swim - we've got some floating toys that should be perfect for chasing into the lake!
And thanks! Congrats on 44 years!