Puppy vaccine schedule: which shots your puppy needs, and when

The short answer: a typical puppy vaccine schedule starts the combination core shot at 6 to 8 weeks, repeats it at 10 to 12 and 14 to 16 weeks, adds rabies by local law and boosts at about 1 year. Your vet sets the exact plan.

• Core vaccines: distemper, adenovirus, parvovirus and parainfluenza, plus rabies
• Lifestyle vaccines: leptospirosis, Bordetella, canine influenza and Lyme
• Keep your puppy safe before the series is done
• Keep a vaccine record from day one
• Next step: Plan it with the Pet Health Records ($5.49).

A puppy vaccine schedule protects your new dog during the weeks when they are most at risk from serious diseases like parvovirus and distemper. This guide shows a typical schedule by age, what each vaccine does, which extras your vet may suggest and how to keep the record straight. Your own vet will set the exact plan for your puppy.

Our Pet Health Records printable has pages for vaccines, vet visits, medications and weight, so every shot date is in one place.

Typical puppy vaccine schedule by age

Adding a cat to the family too? Our kitten vaccine schedule covers FVRCP, rabies and FeLV week by week.

This mirrors common guidance, such as the UC Davis veterinary school's vaccination guidelines for dogs and cats. Puppies adopted later simply start the series when they arrive. Their vet spaces the doses from that first visit. If your breeder or shelter paperwork lists ages in weeks, a weeks to months converter helps you match them to the calendar: 16 weeks, the usual end of the puppy series, is about 3.7 months.

What the core vaccines protect against

Distemper is a virus that affects the lungs, gut and nervous system. It spreads through the air and is often fatal.

Adenovirus (hepatitis) can damage the liver. The combination shot uses a form that also protects against a respiratory version.

Parvovirus causes severe vomiting and diarrhea and is very hard on young puppies. Cornell's Riney Canine Health Center explains that parvovirus can survive in the environment for months, which is why unvaccinated puppies shouldn't walk where many dogs go.

Parainfluenza is a respiratory virus that is often part of the same shot.

Rabies is deadly and can spread to people. The CDC's rabies prevention page lists vaccinating pets as a key step. Most states and cities require it for dogs.

Why the shots are spaced weeks apart

Puppies get antibodies from their mother. Those antibodies protect them at first, but they also block vaccines from working. Nobody can tell exactly when they fade, and it differs from puppy to puppy.

Giving a dose every two to four weeks until about 16 weeks covers that gap. At least one dose lands after the mother's protection drops off. That's why stopping the series early can leave a puppy unprotected even if they had two shots.

Lifestyle vaccines: ask about your puppy's routine

Your vet will ask where you live and what your puppy will do. Common extras include:

For adult boosters and how often each shot repeats, see our full guide to dog vaccines.

• Leptospirosis, for dogs around standing water, wildlife or farms
• Bordetella (kennel cough), for boarding, daycare, grooming and classes
• Canine influenza, in areas with outbreaks or for social dogs
• Lyme disease, in areas with deer ticks

Many boarding kennels and daycares require Bordetella and sometimes canine influenza. Check before you book.

Keeping your puppy safe before the series is done

Early socialization matters too. UC Davis's puppy socialization guide notes that the first few months are when puppies learn to be comfortable with new people, sounds and places. You can balance both:

1. Invite vaccinated, healthy dogs you know to your home.
2. Carry your puppy to see new places without putting them on the ground.
3. Join a puppy class that checks vaccine records and cleans floors.
4. Skip dog parks and pet store floors until your vet clears it.
5. Wipe paws after walks in shared areas.

Questions to ask at the first vet visit

• Which vaccines does my puppy need, and on what dates?
• Which lifestyle vaccines fit our area and plans?
• When is the rabies shot due under local law?
• When should we start flea, tick and heartworm prevention?
• When is it safe to go to classes, parks and daycare?
• What side effects should I watch for after each shot?

What to bring to each vaccine visit

Bring any paperwork from the breeder, shelter or rescue, even if it is a handwritten card. It shows which doses your puppy already had and when, so your vet can plan the next one without repeating or skipping a shot. Bring a stool sample if the clinic asks, a list of questions, a few small treats and a leash or carrier. For more on this topic, see our pet care guides.

Tell the vet about anything new since the last visit, such as coughing, loose stools, low energy or a change in appetite. Your vet may delay a vaccine if your puppy is sick that day.

After the shot: what is normal

Most puppies are a bit sleepy or sore for a day. Let them rest, offer water and keep play gentle. Watch for swelling of the face, hives, repeated vomiting, collapse or trouble breathing in the first few hours. Those signs need a call to your vet or an emergency clinic right away.

Write the date and vaccine on your record before you leave the parking lot, while it is fresh. Ask the front desk to email a copy of the certificate too, so you have a backup you can show a groomer or kennel.

Plan for the cost

The first year is the most expensive one for vaccines. Exams, several rounds of shots, deworming and prevention add up quickly. Ask whether your clinic offers a puppy package. Shelters and community clinics often run lower-cost vaccine days too.

Keep a vaccine record from day one

Your puppy's vaccine history follows them for life. Groomers, trainers, kennels, daycares and new vets will all ask for it. Write down the date, vaccine, lot number if given, clinic and next due date after every visit.

The Pet Health Records printable ($5.49) has a pet profile, vet and emergency contacts, a vaccination record, a vet visit log, medication and preventives, a weight tracker, a feeding routine, pet sitter instructions and a grooming log. It's also part of the Family Life Admin Bundle ($15.99).

For more, see our dog vaccination record book and gifts for dog owners.