I can't really say what I
look for in a vet necessarily... I was relatively clueless when we were first searching after getting Degan. I just looked at lots and lots of reviews online about probably every single clinic in Edmond and the OKC area. I had always heard of the one we use, they had great customer reviews online, and they had an up-to-date, easily to navigate website with pictures, staff bios, and pretty much any piece of information you could think find on a website... and the info was very thorough, not just a tidbit here and there to leave you guessing.
So that is what sold me initially, but after our first visit there I was sold for good.
First of all, they LOVE our dogs. The front desk staff is always really excited to see us, they know my name, the dogs' names (even if they just read it from the computer, they at least have the courtesy to USE the names!) The place is always so clean, (and they have doorknobs mounted to their counters which are chest-high to hold leashes while signing paperwork... maybe this is common, but I thought it was pretty innovative). They also coordinate animals so that we almost NEVER encounter another dog when leaving the exam room to pay...I hear them the whole time we're in the room, but never see them once we come out. Maybe that's just coincidence, but it's comforting.
Our vet always kneels down to the dogs, rubs their ears and head like he's used to big dogs, lets them give him kisses, goes through their tricks, pats them with the hard pat they love so much, etc. That's one thing I really appreciate because when we have had to see another vet with Ollie on a short notice appointment, he didn't really interact with him outside of checking the Ollie over... and that was a big turnoff for me.
The two things I rave about when it comes to our vet though, are:
1. He tells me how much he loves my dogs. Once he even said, "Anytime I am in a conversation with someone about pit bulls, your dogs are always what comes to mind when I am explaining how great they can be. Your dogs are excellent ambassadors for the breed."
and
2. He ALWAYS asks how the other dogs are doing, by name. For example when we took Degan in last fall for his shots, the vet stayed back for an extra five minutes or so after finishing up with Degan to ask about Harlow, her thyroid, and everything else she has always had. To me, that shows that he truly does care... and to see as many animals as I'm sure he does, it means a lot to me that he even remembers which dogs go with which human, let alone their names and ailments!
Honestly I think one of the things I value most is that our vet is a dog person,
and a people person! Sometimes I just want to take a dog in to say hi!