When shopping for a veterinarian, how can you tell whether one doctor or another will be the best practitioner for your pet?

Well, it’s a trick question; there isn’t any way to guarantee that any particular individual is the best.

The emphasis should be on the first part of the question: shopping. Only through rigorous research can we possibly find the best-equipped facilities, with the most receptive staff, and the most communicative and skilled veterinarians. It may be possible to luck into finding the ideal veterinary practice by picking a name out of the yellow pages, but with your dog’s health (and sometimes, his life) depending on your decision, it’s best not to leave your choice to chance.

We’ve compiled a list of points to consider when conducting a search for a top-notch veterinary care provider for your dog. We recommend taking some time, at your earliest opportunity, to call around and visit a couple of clinics now – you won’t have time if you wait until your dog is ill. You should be looking for the following:

A clean, organized practice
If you can afford the time, pay a quick visit to your prospective veterinarians’ offices. Generally, even the reception area will reflect the quality of the service that the professionals will provide. Does the building look well cared-for, with clean windows and floors? Is the receptionist happy and helpful, and quick to greet you and your dog? Is information about services and prices readily provided? Do the veterinary assistants seem cheerful and glad to be there? If possible, ask whether you can see more of the facility. Not only should the reception and examination rooms be clean, well-lighted, and well organized, but the treatment and surgery areas, and the kennel and cage room should be, too.

“People” doctors and veterinarians alike operate under similar pressure to provide snappy yet thorough service. No one likes to waste time in a doctor’s office, but no one likes to feel rushed out of the office without satisfactory answers to their medical questions, either. You probably won’t be able to ascertain whether or not this kind of service is available at a clinic without actually utilizing their services. However, if after choosing a clinic, it seems that the practice is consistently running behind schedule, you may want to choose another. Efficiently run clinics should be are able – with only occasional exceptions – to get you and your dog into an examination room close to your appointment time, and adjust their schedules to handle emergencies without disrupting the entire practice for the entire day.

Good communication skills
Veterinarians tend to be busy, but if you can arrange to meet the veterinarian for even just a couple of minutes, you should be able to determine whether he or she is someone you could communicate with. It’s important that the veterinarian will be willing and able to explain a disease process or a treatment in terms that you can understand.

As the owner of an 85-pound mischief-prone Labrador told me, “I look for someone who can and will answer all my ‘dumb questions’ and remain patient while I try to gain an understanding of what’s going on with my dog. My dog has been to the veterinarian’s office for the regular shots and health exams, but also for spaying and for injuries suffered when she tangled with a car. I was worried about her anesthesia, and wondered about pain control after her surgeries. Our veterinarian was accessible and easy to talk to. I was glad to get good instructions for home wound care, and how to enforce rest for my dog’s optimum healing.”

The office staff, too, should be able to talk to you knowledgeably – never condescendingly – about the details of your dog’s care and treatment.

Accessible doctors and staff
You should know – before you have need – exactly when your veterinarian is and is not available. Obviously, you also need to know who you should call, or where you should go, in the hours your veterinarian is not available. (Any emergency clinic you might have to utilize to help your dog should also meet with your criteria.)

Accessibility entails more than just office hours; it also concerns whether or not you can actually reach your veterinarian or an assistant to ask questions about your dog’s condition and care. If you leave a message for the veterinarian, will someone from the office return your call promptly?

If your dog has to spend a night at the clinic, ask whether someone is present all night, and whether there a number you can call to check on your dog’s condition in the middle of the night if you wanted to. A surprising number of clinics do not employ all-night staff, a fact that should be known in advance by the owners of any dogs with separation anxiety issues. If your dog has to spend a night at the clinic, make certain you ask about night staff.

Flexible, open-minded healers
The very best doctors realize that their patients can be healed in a variety of ways. If your veterinarian will discuss only one treatment option with you, he or she is either professionally “stuck,” mired in out-dated medical theories and techniques, or too busy to provide individualized care. Either way, this professional is not a good prospect.

Increasing numbers of dog owners are seeking out veterinarians who have experience and expertise in complementary healing modalities, but the fact is, these professionals are still in the minority. A good alternative may be employing a traditional, local veterinarian who will discuss your dog’s case with a consulting complementary specialist at your request. Ask your veterinary candidates what they think about using complementary care.

Experienced, gentle handlers
A friends of mine once took her kind and gentle (and admittedly slow to respond) Rottweiler puppy, then about six months old, to a veterinarian’s office for a routine health examination and vaccinations. An assistant entered the exam room and explained that she would take the dog’s vital signs. She then commanded the pup to lie down, and when it looked at her blankly, she grabbed the dog roughly by the scruff of its neck and threw it to the ground, pinning it there while she began to explain to my stunned friend the “dangers of a large disrespectful dog.”

You can’t begin to count the number of ways that the assistant erred. Suffice it to say that the clinic lost that client, and that my friend will repeat her story about the assistant any time the subject of that clinic comes up among her dog-owning friends.

The people who work in veterinary clinics vary tremendously in their background, temperament, education, practical training, and goals. Better clinics will hire more experienced and knowledgeable staff, and pay them enough to stay. This may result in somewhat higher costs for care and treatment at those clinics; it’s worth the price. When it comes to sick, vulnerable animals, the difference between indifferent or aggressive handling and gentle, attentive, and caring handling, can literally make the difference between life and death. And even if your dog is only visiting the clinic for routine health care, you want him to feel as positive as possible about his experience there.

Ask the receptionist about the staffers at the clinic; do they have specialized training or credentials in dog training or veterinary assisting? And observe the staff carefully; do they seem calm, caring, and competent?

Specialized clinics
While there is certainly a benefit to using the same doctors often enough that they recognize and are familiar with you and your dog, there may be situations where you would benefit from using several clinics to meet your needs. For instance, you might visit a low-cost clinic for puppy vaccinations, a state-of-the art clinic with a built-in lab and the latest in anesthesiology equipment when your dog requires surgery, and a holistic practitioner when trying to boost your dog’s general wellness.

Many veterinarians have additional interest, training, or expertise in certain types of medicine. Some veterinarians are Board certified in specialized care like dermatology, reproductive health, dentistry, or orthopedic surgery. What kind of services your veterinary candidates offer will partially dictate what kind of equipment they have at their disposal and, to a certain extent, might even affect the prices of their services.

For instance, reproductive health (spaying and neutering) clinics provide a practical example of efficiency; generally, the staff and doctor are very well-versed in doing the surgeries, yielding a streamlined process and a lower overhead for better pricing.

At the other extreme are veterinarians who offer emergency care. These professionals require an array of diagnostic equipment, such as radiograph (x-ray) machines, ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging, cat scans, and a well-equipped laboratory. Very often, the assistants at emergency clinics are the most highly trained.

Sometimes, economics will dictate your decision, especially if your dog requires only simple, routine care. Most of us would really rather not pay the overhead costs for a full-service hospital when we are simply in search of a required rabies vaccination. Full-service clinicians bristle at the low prices charged by minimal-care walk-in clinics, but they should understand that it may be prohibitive for some dog owners if they have to pay for an office visit and physical exam every time they cross the threshold.

NOTE: Recently, more and more veterinarians have been selling their private practices to a company that reopens the practices as part of its “network” of veterinary health care providers. The chain then manages the clinic.

This model enables the participating practices to maximize their efficiency (and profits), but just as with managed-care networks for humans, it may result in less personal care. If you have a dog with a complicated health history or a condition that requires extended care and diagnosis, you may want to avoid the “chain” veterinary practices. While the individual staff members and doctors may be more than competent, your dog would probably benefit from consistent attention from a doctor who is intimate with his medical history and reactions to various treatments.

Credible qualifications
When it comes to alternative care or non-traditional complementary therapies, the practitioners’ training and experience is of paramount importance (see “What’s the Alternative? How to find qualified practitioners of complementary healing arts,” in the August 1998 issue of WDJ). Look for doctors who are certified with the national association for that modality, for instance, the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society (IVAS) for acupuncturists, the Academy of Veterinary Homeopathy (AVH) for homeopaths, and the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association (AVCA) for chiropractors. Most holistic veterinarians are associated with the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association (AHVMA, pronounced “Ahh – v -ma”). Each of these associations offers continuing education for its members.

A lack of credentials with one of these associations does not mean a practitioner is unqualified, but it may mean that he is operating in the outer reaches of his chosen field. Talking to other clients in the waiting room about their experiences with the veterinarian or asking for references is always a good idea, but it should be considered mandatory in this case.

Twenty-five years ago, a friend of mine found two abandoned black-and-tan coonhound pups by the side of the road. He took them home and immediately called a real estate broker, thus beginning his search for a house with a fenced yard and ending his years as an apartment dweller. This same dog owner recently purchased the car of his dreams, only to discover that his dog’s crate wouldn’t fit in the back seat. He returned the car the next day.

We all make accommodations in our lifestyles for our dogs. We come straight home from work instead of stopping off at the pub for a beer with the office gang, because Buddy has been in the house for nine hours and has to pee. We break off a promising relationship because the new neurosurgeon boyfriend is allergic to Smokie. We stay home on the 4th of July rather than going out to watch fireworks, just in case Charley panics from the popping of neighborhood firecrackers. We never wear black or navy blue, because our Golden Retriever’s hair shows too easily on dark colors.

Those are good examples of how some of us arrange our affairs to make room for our dogs. But others carry this notion further – they rearrange their homes to make rooms for their dogs. They knock holes in walls to put in doggie doors, search high and low for fur-resistent furniture fabrics and floor coverings, and even construct separate furnished houses for their furry friends!

If this strikes you as going too far, consider this: Building and decorating your house in a completely “dog-friendly” manner makes it easier to keep clean and flea-free. It also reduces the number of ways that Fido can inadvertently ruin your day by ruining your decor.

Baby Gates and Dog Crates

One of the simplest, most common approaches to managing life with Lassie is the strategic use of baby gates and dog crates. Faith White runs Shar-Pei Rescue in Anchorage, Alaska; has seven dogs of her own; teaches puppy classes; and also occasionally boards dogs for friends. She has eschewed carpeting; her house is tiled throughout for easy maintenance and cleaning. White has gates across her front porches, a dog room off the living room, and uses a kiddy wading pool for a toy box. Because Alaska weather can be harsh (and all of White’s dogs have short coats), in the winter she tarps off an area in the backyard for a windbreak and puts down sawdust to create a protected potty place.

Joan Weintraub of Tiverton, Rhode Island, has ten dogs in her home, which is also her place of business. With customers coming and going all day, Weintraub uses a combination of training and crates to keep the dogs out from under clients’ feet. The office/entertainment area is on the first floor, and dogs are trained to stay out. The rest of the downstairs is wide open dog space, with flooring that is easy to clean and disinfect.

Dog Hair Protection

Keeping a multiple dog household clean is an ongoing challenge. While lots of us resort to ripping up and discarding carpeting in favor of easy-to-maintain vinyl or tile flooring, Pat Wenzel of Wenwood Corgis in Gladwin, Michigan has resigned herself to vacuuming and carpet cleaning.

“I have a standing appointment every six months with the carpet/furniture cleaners,” she says, “and in between, blankets cover all the furniture.” Wenzel also claims ownership of six different vacuum cleaners, each with a specific purpose.

“First,” she explains, “you have your super heavy-duty canister that is absolutely impossible to clog with hair. I recommend the Rainbow. You will need the multiple attachments that it comes with for those pesky underneath places. Then you need a regular upright for those occasions when you need to do a real quick job and don’t feel like dragging the other monster out. This one can be used only occasionally, and never during major seasonal shedding. (The hardware store people think you’re a riot when you bring it in to be de-haired.) The small, hand-held type is a must for the furniture, and the battery operated Dirt Devil mop/vac is invaluable for the utility room and kitchen floors when 24 muddy feet come flying in after a rain storm. And who could live without a regular Dirt Devil for those little ‘so-and-so knocked over the (fill in the blank)’ accidents? Another heavy-duty canister-type vacuum is obligatory in the garage for use in the cars, and then, of course, there’s the Bissell “Little Green Machine” for in depth carpet/furniture spot cleaning.

In addition to her financial investment in cleaning, Wenzel has taken other steps to ensure canine and human comfort.

“R.C. Steele (the pet supply mail order catalog) is my interior decorator,” she says. “Instead of saving money for new people furniture I am presently saving up to purchase custom-made wooden dog crates that will look like furniture but still hold dogs.” Wenzel even had central air conditioning installed in her home – for the dogs’ comfort, not her own.

Doggie Doors and Puppy Pens

Many dog owners recognize the risks inherent in giving a dog free run of the fenced yard when no one is home. Uncontrolled barking can irritate neighbors, resulting in complaints to animal control, or worse, retaliation through poisoning or theft. Meter readers and pool cleaners inadvertently leave gates open, allowing Benji to escape. Bored dogs learn how to dig holes or jump fences. And inclement weather often precludes outdoor housing. Still, the reality of today’s working couples means that Buddy is often left home alone for ten hours or more; an uncomfortably long time to expect him to keep his legs crossed.

Wendy Katz, of Lexington, Kentucky, and Joanne Cook, of Denver, Colorado, both discovered similar solutions to this problem: a doggie door from the house to a fenced outdoor pen where the dogs can go to relieve themselves, but still have access to all the comforts of home. Katz installed her dog door in a back door of her house that leads to a pen with 6′ fencing. The pen is chain link on two sides, and has solid cedar slats on the side facing the neighbor’s house. It is shaded in summer by stately oaks and a crabapple tree. The dogs have run of the downstairs when Katz is away, with access through the door to the pen.

Cook’s door goes through a wall into the garage where the dogs stay during the day, thereby protecting the house from doggie destruction, and leads to a sheltered chainlink pen the length of the garage wall.

Pam Sheehan of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, went one step further for her pack of tiny Yorkshire terriers. She put a doggie door in the window of a small back room, and built ramps on both sides of the window leading to an outside pen. Speaking of steps, Sheehan also has step stools by her bed and sofa so the Yorkies can easily jump up!

Taking Dog Accomodation to the Next Level

Then there are those dog owners who push the envelope, making even more of a commitment to canine accommodations than the average dog enthusiast. Lisa Wright and her husband moved out of the city to a 90-year-old cabin on 160 acres in Edmonton, Alberta (Canada) in order to provide a proper environment for their pack of Newfoundlands. For 18 months they lived in the cabin with no running water and just a wood stove for heat (in a climate that reaches 40 degrees below zero), while they built their new house. The house has a heated, all-tile floor – no carpets. The dogs have their own room that opens to the living room via a Dutch door, as well as a dog-door out to their dog run. The Wrights sleep in a loft to which the dogs don’t have access, although Lisa will sleep in the dogs’ room when puppies are imminent.

When Teoti Pullie and her husband, of Lexington, South Carolina bought their new house in 1997, the room over the garage was unfinished so they did the obvious – turned it into a room for the dogs, now nicknamed “the nursery.” The Pullies don’t have to worry about how to keep their dogs out of the trash or off the sofa when they aren’t home – they know the dogs are safely playing in their own custom-designed room.

“The construction guy,” says Pullie, “thought I was nuts. I wanted a window unit that provided air conditioning and heat. He said they didn’t exist. When I found the unit I wanted in a catalog he said, ‘You don’t need heat. Those units are expensive – you can get a cheaper unit just for air.'”

When Pullie asked him, “Don’t you think it’ll get cold up here in the winter?” he replied, “It’ll be warm enough for dogs . . .”

“Not MY dogs!” Pullie snapped. She got the unit she wanted.

Pullie had another argument with the carpet people. She wanted Berber. They kept showing her Astroturf. She held out for the Berber. It’s tough, she says, and hardly shows the dirt. She also had custom, adjustable shelves built into one wall for all the doggie equipment, added three light fixtures to the ceiling, and installed two ceiling fans. To top it off, she painted the room sky blue with Wedgewood blue highlights, stamped paws and bones on the doors, and applied a wallpaper border with a puppy pattern complete with Kong toys.

The stairs to the room are through the garage, where a handy utility tub sits for washing off muddy paws. “I do wish I had a raised tub in there for baths,” Pullie muses. that’s probably just a mater of time!

Val Maurer of Hartville, Ohio, also created a custom canine-friendly room for her Border Collie rescue work. She turned a spare bedroom into a rescue room, complete with a closet that she converted into a walk-in shower for the dogs. The room also has cabinets for equipment, food and first-aid supplies, an array of crates for all sizes of Border Collies, and a window curtain made of an old comforter to muffle the sight and sound of lightning and thunder.

Very few dog owners go as far as Sandra Wornum, who has Salukis and does sighthound rescue in her Larkspur, California home. Wornum built a completely separate, one-room granny unit for her dogs, where the elegant sighthounds lounge on futons and listen to music on the stereo or watch videos on the television set. Wornum has had as many as a dozen or more large dogs in her home at one time. Being able to rotate them from “their” house to hers has enable her to maintain her home and her sanity while still giving the dogs individual attention and socialization.

And Then Some…

The list of ways that we accommodate our dogs in our lives is virtually endless. We make strange demands on our real estate agents when we are looking for a house to buy:

“Nope – the stairs to the deck are too steep for my three-legged Lab. The back yard is too small for my Aussies to chase tennis balls. Can’t live next to a school – the kid’s’ll make the dogs bark. Hot tub? No way . . . what if Pippin falls in?”

We make it equally hard for agents to sell our homes. Not everyone appreciates the value of a walk-in dog shower, a bare dirt yard (fewer fleas, and easier to scoop poop), or windows throughout the house that come to within a foot of the floor (so dogs can look out without jumping).

Non-doggie visitors clumsily negotiate baby gates, look askance at dog crates that double as end tables, and ridicule pieces of furniture that belong to the dogs. Families tend to write us off as eccentric. (Oh let’s be honest – they think we’re nuts!) But in the end, the ones who really matter – our dogs, and our dog-loving friends – appreciate and understand the efforts we put into creating a home that minimizes the stress and maximizes the joy of living life with Lassie.