I like them outside. I live in the rural southeast so I do not have to deal with neighbors nor he brutal cold. During the keep they are weighed two, sometimes three times a day so the shivering/weight loss is not an issue. One, the dog houses are super nice, and two, the feed is adjusted daily to compensate for weight change. I tried it a few times keeping them in the basement but they got a little lazy, sort of adjusting to the good life. I know people who swear inside is the only way and others that swear the outside is the way to go. I personally like the outside during the keep. EWO