It is interesting to read so many diferent experiences. Here is ours with a puppy.
We got our puppy when he was about 8 weeks old. My parents were at our house for a whole week on holidays when the puppy for the first time came. We worked during that week and my parents set of for trips without the puppy.
We work both quite long hours. So our pup stayed during the daty in the garden of about 2000m2. He had his friends: straka (I do not know the English work; ekster in Dutch) and all the dogs that passed the garden. At night he slept outside.
When he was about 11 weeks old we went on holidays: 1st week on a dog camp at Tabor and 2nd week to the alps in Austria. Since we got him he is everything but shy and agressive for people, dogs, horses, etc. Actually I think his motto is: I see you, so you are my friend (whether you like it or not).
On saturdays we went to a training ground. In the group was a pitbull terrier that most of the times trained apart because of being a bit agressive to other dogs. This pitbull terrier was about 1 year old while our puppy was about 4 months. At one moment they both decided not to listen to "k mne" (come here) and ran towards eachother. My initial thought was: we can go to the veterinarian very soon from now. Instead of fighting they started running and playing around the whole field and having the best fun when one of the trainers or we "almost" grabbed them.
Now our pup is almost 9 months old. During the days, except weekends, he is alone in the garden. He is still greeting enthusiastically all the people and animals he meets. Sometimes I think he could be a little bit more shy
Now during the winter he sleeps inside in our bedroom though when he was very young, during summer and autumn he slept outside. When on saturday morning we get up and he goes outside for peeing he afterwards goes to our neighbour when he is outside working. He then puts his paws on the fence and they seem to talk. This talking can take up to 20 minutes.
Currently we have quite some workers who come into our house for reconstruction. Often we are not at home. They say they receive always a warm friendly welcome from our dog. And he has not met them before. Two weeks ago an unknown dog went into the garden and walked out with one of his new bones. He just was signalling: let's play.
Now it is time to go for our evening walk of most of the times more than one hour spending with walking, training and playing. So I have to finish this reply.
I wish everybody all the best and lots of fun with his/her dog and perhaps I might meet some of you during the bonitation this April at Dobris.
best regards, Michiel