A New Dog

Question
Hello,
My family got a dog a couple of days ago. This is our first dog and we don't really know what to do. He's a 13-month old golden retriever mix. We got him from a family that had small toddlers that the dog, Buddy, outgrew. They lived in the country with a large field for him to run. We live in an area that is secluded with about 8 homes yet close to a rather busy road.
We have had Buddy tied up by his dog house and food and water bowls. We take him out for frequent walks and runs. However, he always wants to go in our neighbors' yards. Our neighbors all have dogs and have expressed that they don't care if Buddy goes in their yards and plays with their dogs. He is very sweet and mild-mannered and has never bitten anyone. We are not concerned that he is dangerous. We want to untie Buddy and let him go and visit the other dogs, but we would also like him to spend most of his time in our yard with us. We are also concerned about the road.
Basically I am asking how one goes about having an outdoor dog without tying it up all the time or never seeing it. Fencing our rather large yard or other expensive things are not really options at the moment. If you can help, it would be greatly appreaciated.
Thank-you,
Victoria  

Answer
Please plan to keep your dog in the house with you.  Dogs are pack animals.
They want to be with you.  There are solutions to the problems of a dog in the house.  Having a crate for it to live in makes it much easier.  Your house and puppy are safe with it in a crate when nobody is around to watch it.  I think the more enclosed plastic ones make the best dens.  You can reduce shedding with frequent brushing.  That also reduces the need for baths.

Leaving a dog loose outside really doesn't work very well in today's society.  If it is common in your neighborhood, you can count on there being some unhappy people.  They keep quiet because they don't want to be trouble makers.