In the summer, when it's nice, the little dogs have an outside kennel, it's completely in the shade and has a dog house.. they will stay out there all day but will come out about 3-4 times to go to the bathroom in the field, then they come in at night to sleep. They have toys and chewies to keep the busy, the onyl time they bark is when someone comes to the house, but if it's raining or cold or to hot they stay in the house. The big dogs have a field to be in that is shady with trees has a doghouse and they can go under our pool deck to cool off if they want, the same with the little dogs apply to our big dogs!