I've owned two great tracking/companion dogs in my life: The first was a male Doberman Pincher - Dark red, highly intelligent, and whom I loved. (He wouldn't even eat unless I was there to feed him!)
The other was a female Pit Bulldog who was equally devoted to me and had an absolutely terrific nose! She was, also, very bright and would have died for me, on command, without so much as a moment's hesitation.
Either dog could track across anything except water and never lost a quarry; in fact my APBT won a search and rescue competition I once entered her in. (In all honesty, I spent a lot of hours training the both of them; but, it wasn't hard and they learned fast.)
What's the outside ambient temperature got to do with anything? Is this going to be a backyard, 'chain dog'? If you genuinely value the animal, don't do that. (Besides, you'll sleep better at night with the dog at the foot of the bed.)
