How long is "TOO LONG" for doodles to be home alone?

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

Up to this point we have managed most of our dogs days to be spent with one or the other of us being at home, or the 1-2 days a week that we both work the same day, to have a dog sitter come in about 1/2 way through the day for potty break and playtime. Since she has our Murphy's brother, she has brought him over to play or even brought my two to her house to spend the afternoon.
DH and I are gone from 6:30 -7:00 am to 6:30 pm on the days we both work. The sitter would come between 1:00 to 4:00 pm. So some days they were alone and unable to potty for 7-10 hours. They have always seemed to do fine with that schedule, and it most likely bothered me more than them to have them wait so long,or at least that is what my family says.

So next week my sitter is working full-time, and I can certainly find a new sitter, or even do day care occasionally, or have the kids come by to help let them out, but DH insists that they would be fine all day home alone and waiting 12 hours without going potty, that there is no need to be making all these arrangements.
I am just not comfortable with this but I don't really have a reason to give him other than it just doesn't sound like it would be good for them to wait that long.
Besides the fact that it sounds like its just "TOO LONG", are there any known risks or detriment to having them alone so long? Other than the obvious that they may get bored and into trouble, and I certainly can expect and plan for that, my concern is their health, or having to hold their bladders that long. Anyone have any information to share?

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

It certainly makes medical sense that urinary stasis for long periods of time has potential for infection, in humans anyway. However, their pH is different from ours and possibly less favorable to bacteria. I guess that's a question not a fact. It would only be very occasionally, maybe 1-2 times a month and I would do my best to get off work early on those days to get home by 5:30 instead.
Unfortunately, I haven't found any daycares near my work or home for that matter, so that may not be an option.

[Adina P]

Too bad more of us don't live closer to each other.

[F, Calla & Luca]

It sure is.

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

Wouldn't it just be a wonderful world if we did???

[Jennifer and Jack]

I agree ..

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

With my job (and DH's) we can't get off work early... and doggie daycare isn't really an option.  There isn't one close by and Luna gets scared when there are 2+ dogs she isn't familiar with around.  

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

Well, thank you all for your thoughts tonight. I am going to go empty my bladder and go to sleep and pick up on this tomorrow. Good night.

[Kaytlin and Cooper]

cooper can hold it for 12 hours if she has too - she just sleeps while we are gone. we do take her out often when we are home, but if she needs to she can hold it for much longer. i think its fine! we are often gone for 10-12 hours at work and have never had any problems. its like us, we can hold it for 12 hours easy when we are sleeping

[Lynn D.]

IMO, I think each dog is different in their requirements.

Mine is turning 3 in May and he has, just recently, gone as much as 13ish hours without going out. That being said, this was my fault I forgot to let him out at his evening break and I was with him from 5 till 12 and he never asked me to let him out to go potty.

When we get up in the morning we go for a 1 mile or more walk so he poops, pees and gets the wiggles out early in the day.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Before I had a doggie door, I worried if I left the dogs more than 6 hours.  When we are in the RV, I take them out often - more because they are so confined in the small space.  Clancy will always pee mark, Gordie pees on command, Ned (bladder of steel - perhaps that should have been his super hero tag on the Pack?) often skips going.  I think he would be quite comfortable waiting 12 hours.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

It sounds like you have other options that wouldn't be all that inconvenient.  I would opt for one of them and then you don't have to worry.  Maybe that's enough of a reason....although I "get" that DHs don't always think the same way that we do about our Doodles.

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

You are so right Jane, if I just go on instincts and they tell me that 12 hours is just too long for them to possibly be comfortable, then that is the only reason I need to make arrangements. And that is what is in the works. I was hoping to find so hard true facts as to why 12 hours is really too long, to present my case. Maybe I need JD here. He probably could represent Murphy and Bella on this issue.