Guess I have mixed thoughts on this subject as well as many do. I would never think of keeping Noba outside for any reason, however... growing up we had Newfoundlands. We had four of them (2 boys, 2 girls). We had a HUGE old farmhouse that we lived in (when I say big, picture 7 bedrooms alone and there were only four of us in the fam including parents). Anyway, two of our newfs insisted on staying outside, especially during the long cold Maine winters... We would bring them in at night when it was especially cold and they always got one on one time inside for three hours a day. But whenever Bonnie and Duke were in the house for any extended period of time, they would start pacing in the kitchen by the door and want to go back outside... so mom and step-dad built them a ridiculously huge dog run in the yard, complete with heated dog house (insulated and heated)... they had a kiddie pool for the summer and plenty of room to run. The other two crazy newfs (Mariah and Bruin) REFUSED to go outside for anything other than walks, playtime and potty. We had these neighbors up the street that tried to call animal control because Bonnie / Duke were always outside in the winter... after the agent called our vet, he began laughing. Our vet had told him that Newfies prefer to be outside in the snow (as long as it's not too cold) and that he should tell our neighbors to leave us alone. Bonnie and Duke were intended to be inside dogs from the time we got them. We got Bonnie as an 8 week old, and Duke as a 4 year old rescue from a pound in Canada (pure-bred with papers, champion lines, gonna be put to sleep three days later, bi-lingual for $50... )... but they chose the outside life much to our chagrin... and not for lack of attention and love!!! How could you not love a big slobbering newf!!!

Sorry this is so long, but just another affirmation that no matter how much love and devotion you give dogs, some of them just prefer to be outside. Bonnie lived to be 14 and Duke ended up living to be 12 I believe (we had to re-home him due to major agression towards cats). But don't worry, he went to a great home where he had undivided love and attention!!!!!