Taking in an 8 year old lab

Question
I have recently brought home an 8 year old lab that used to belong to our neighbors who could no longer care for the dog (elderly couple).  Overall, he is a good dog and I will begin training him shortly.  The one problem I have is that he urinates every chance he gets on everything - trees, columns, shrubs, plants, corner of the house, etc..  Any recommendations on how to solve this problem and how to make this transition smoother? Thanks

Answer
Is he neutered?  If not, do so immediately.  It should make a big difference.  He could also be claiming his new home and it may decline once done.  

The training should help too.  The key to most behavior problems is approaching things using the dog's natural instincts.  Dogs see all the people and dogs in the household as a pack with each having their own rank in the pack and a top dog.  Life is much easier if the 2 legged pack members outrank the 4 legged ones.  You can learn to play the role of top dog by reading some books or going to a good obedience class. A good obedience class or book is about you being top dog, not about rewarding standard commands with a treat. Start at http://www.dogsbestfriend.com/  For more on being top dog, see http://www.dogbreedinfo.com./topdogrules.htm