We've moved north from sunny Florida and have outside runs. We also have a basement that is also set up with crates for the dogs that is climate controlled. Our outside runs are on concrete, completely covered and have a dog house in each one. Our dogs have great coats but what temp would you bring the dogs in during the winter at night? Juhk

I don't leave my dogs outside at night. They go into the house or kennel to sleep. During the winter my inside kennel temp is about 45-50 degrees.

I can think of a lot of reasons to bring dogs in at night but the temperature in Florida is not one of them. :) We are from New England and I think our average winter day is warmer than your coldest winter night. As long as they have each other and shelter, our dogs have no problem being out every day throughout the winter. If we get a bitterly cold spell, which I define as being down near 0 F at any point or not getting above 10 F all day, they stay in. Old ones and young ones get individual treatment obviously. If it is really windy, we have to be careful and take those days as individual decisions. But 30 F is balmy. Having said that, I would not put a dog out on a winter day if it is used to being a couch potato. It is different when a dog experiences it every day. Coats are much better and they learn where to go to be warm (snuggled up in hay filled houses inside their barn).

I hope it is obvious that I misread the original post. Sorry.

But, I think what I wrote still helps. I get worried at multiple hours less than 10, or down near 0 at all. Day and night are very different because during the day, I can almost always expect it to warm-up after I leave fore work. Given my particular set-up, and I think your individual set-up is the key, I think they are likely fine even at those temps but it certainly can't be comfortable for them. If you get them inside at night at temps of 50ish, then they get good and warmed up between the cold days. There will be plenty of 0 - 10 nights so I would say you will be using your cellar a lot. If they are outside, they need to be able to get completely out of the weather during conditions much warmer than that given the complication of wind.

I bring the dogs in if the temp is going to be bellow 30 at night. They do have well covered areas. that's only for the dogs that are in full coat and older than 7-9 months. Puppies and dogs (mostly moms after a litter) off coat stay in every night.

Speaking of how cold is too cold, what do most of you who have outside dogs use for bedding in the winter? My choice is pine chips or straw. Have used straw for years. Switched to pine chips this summer but wondering if that is warm enough for cold winter nights. Somehow, straw "sounds" warmer to me.

I love straw just because in a thick pile the dogs make a nice deep bed and are almost buried in a little "nest" and never cold. We don't have any dogs outdoors anymore, but my husband used to go sit in their straw beds with them in the evening and found it very warm and cozy.

I used the work "hay" above. But we actually do use straw. Straw is a much better insulator.