I have a miniature dachshund and he loves the outdoors. During the fall nights when we let him out at night we had the hardest time getting him to come back in. We put a dog house out for him, but I was really wanting him to be an indoor dog. Now that the winter months are approaching I am having the hardest time getting him to come in at night time. He will come in during the day to play but goes crazy wanting outside at night. I'm worried he is too small for this cold weather. Am I right thinking that and if so any suggestions on how to get him inside?

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There could be several answers to your problem. If your doxy isn't getting enough exercise during the day, it may be that he knows that night-time is happy, fun, run around and play time. First off, you could try giving him two walks a day and see if that helps. He may not want to be outside if he's gotten his "wiggles" out If you ARE giving him enough exercise and you simply would like him to obey you when it's time to come inside, start treating him at the door, even in the day time. He needs to see that being inside doesn't imply just a large cage but a safe (and yummy) place to be. So you know, I heard a saying once about dogs being outside in the cold "if you wouldn't do it to your child, don't do it to your dog". Granted, this is a bit extreme but the principle is the same. Little dogs have a harder time staying warm, even if they have longer or thicker coats. Alright, I hope this answers your question(s) and good luck! (If not, sorry I'm so long-winded...)