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?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

LOL, JD would probably advise them both to upchuck on the best rug in the house any time they are left more than 8-10 hours. He has personally found that to be an effective argument against being left for too many hours!

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

Gee thanks JD! What a pal you are! And Bella actually has used that tactic on several occasions as she's always eating something that shouldn't be in there.

[Amy, Cubbie & Ollie]

oh, so that is my problem.  JD must have given that advice to Ollie then.  Thanks JD!

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

Both DH and I work full time and Luna has been left alone for up to about 8-10 hours without issue.  She takes the time to thoroughly greet us and get some rubs before heading to the back door to pee.

 I'm sure she's bored, but she is in a safe, warm place with lots of places to sleep and fresh water.  Luna also has an amazing bladder though (if it's raining outside she avoids peeing all day until she absolutely HAS to right before bed...)

Thankfully with my work schedule I'm often home for part of the morning or part of the afternoon.  Last semester was pretty bad though - there was one day where I was teaching all day long and DH and I were both gone from 6:30-4:30 or 5:00. At least we know if Luna has to be left alone for that long we know she can be trusted and she is fine.  

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Peri and Tacky are home from 8 to 4 or 5 daily.  They get walks in the morning and do fine. They have the playroom with their "couches", access to the kitchen and also laundry room.  I swear they don't move most of the day, except for barking out the windows at anyone that walks by.  We recently had some issues with one or both of them peeing while we were gone but it only happened a few times and I think it was due to Taquito being unable to get on the couches because we moved his bed.  They have been doing this for quite some time and I know this can be controversial, but I don't feel bad about it because they have the most comfortable environment!  They are spoiled ROTTEN!  I get home and Peri's always there to greet me, but I have to coax Tacky off of the bed and make him go outside and pee. They are fine.

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

Thanks Allyson, and I agree, it's not like they are at all suffering or tied outside to a pole all day! They have full roaming privileges, always water and a treat ball available. Which they hardly touch and they still greet me first before even looking at the door. But the most that we have ever had to leave them has been 9 hours and that has just been recently. I am on light duty right now and work 6:30-3:00 so home by 3:30-4:00 these past 2 months. Next week is when 12 hours become an issue, and again only 1-2 days a week if I made no other arrangements at all.
I certainly don't mind paying someone to come in, although, I don't have anyone in mind at the moment, and our adult children would stop by, but they are so busy with their little ones, I so hate to impose on them. So DHs argument is having a stranger come to the house and trust them with home and dogs, and inconveniencing our kids over what he feels is a non issue for the dogs.

[Lori, Quincy & Frankie]

Quincy is just 9 months so I have a walker come in mid day to potty break and run him around.  That still leaves sometimes 5-6 hours on the end and he does fine.  He is always sleeping in his large crate when we come in, takes his time stretching when I open the crate and always hangs on me for petting and greetings before he goes out to pee.  Sometimes he goes for his toys or food and water first. He does do some marathon peeing once he gets going.

I still think he is too young for a full day, but eventually I imagine we will be leaving him for much longer especially once he is ready for non-crating.   I don't leave water in his crate, though.  

[Samantha and Socrates]

My thought on this has always been - could YOU hold it for 7-10 hours? An adult, established dog probably could, but it's not good for them. I've always capped it at 4-5 hours absolute max, if I know I will be gone longer than that and have no one to come let Socs out, then he goes to doggy daycare. That's what it's there for!

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

That is true, that's what they are there for. Wish I had some close to have that option. And you missed the earlier posts about nurses holding it for a whole 12 hour shift. Lol. Certainly not recommended or encouraged though.
The question is how do we KNOW its not good for them?? Where is the medical or scientific proof that says no dog should go 9-10-12 hours. What are we basing it on? Our human limitations? Our opinions?
Don't misunderstand, I agree that it seems excessive. But when presenting the information to DH I had no REASON that I could put my finger on to back it up.
But, like Jane said, if my instincts tell me it's not okay, then it's not okay and that's all DH will need to go by. And he certainly would.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Not science but we all know a full bladder or even rectum is very uncomfortable. It is even painful, for me at least, to begin to empty my bladder when it is very distended. I see no reason it would not be uncomfortable for dogs either.

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

I just still think if they are used to it and comfortable, then 8-9 hour days are fine.  Sue, I would be more worried about the 12 hours and would probably be finding a dog walker for those days.

And I am sorry but daycare 5 days a week is not an option - it's as much as my daughter's (human) daycare!

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

Yes, general opinion of the wise DK 'ers is 12 hours is just too long and they are likely to be uncomfortable. I will be looking for a pet sitter this weekend.