Dog Vaccination Schedule: Puppy & Adult Vaccine Chart
Puppies usually start their core distemper, adenovirus and parvovirus vaccines at 6–8 weeks. A combination dose is repeated every 2–4 weeks, and the final puppy dose is given at 16 weeks or older. Leptospirosis and other vaccines follow their own schedules. Adult boosters depend on the vaccine and your dog’s history: some are yearly, others every three years. Rabies timing depends on local law and the product used.
Puppy vaccination schedule chart
| Age | What usually happens | Whose guidance |
|---|---|---|
| 6–8 weeks | First combination dose of the core vaccines: canine distemper virus (CDV), adenovirus (CAV) and parvovirus (CPV). | WSAVA and AAHA |
| Every 2–4 weeks after that | Repeat combination doses. The total depends on the starting age and the gap between doses. | WSAVA and AAHA. AAHA specifies at least 3 doses between 6 and 16 weeks |
| From 12 weeks | Leptospirosis: two doses, 2–4 weeks apart, on a separate schedule from the combination vaccine. | AAHA, for the US. WSAVA says usually from 8 weeks, following the product leaflet, where leptospirosis is core |
| 16 weeks or older | Final combination dose of the puppy series, which WSAVA calls the most important of the early doses. | WSAVA and AAHA |
| Up to about 20 weeks, if risk is high | A later final dose. In especially high-risk situations, the series may run to 20 weeks, sometimes with doses every 2–3 weeks. | WSAVA. AAHA prefers 18–20 weeks where parvovirus risk is high |
| Around 26 weeks | Either one more core combination dose, at or shortly after 26 weeks, or a blood antibody test at least 4 weeks after the last puppy dose. A puppy that tests as protected does not need that dose. | WSAVA only. AAHA uses a booster within 1 year instead: see the adult chart |
| Rabies: age varies | Set by local law and the product. Some countries generally do not give the first dose before 12 weeks, and US products are labelled for puppies 3 months and older. | WSAVA, and AAHA for US products |
Risk-based vaccines such as Bordetella, Lyme disease and canine influenza are added only for dogs that need them, each with its own timing. Your dog’s plan may differ from this chart, because it depends on age, vaccination history, health, where you live, the product used and local law. The reason for the long puppy series is explained below.
Adult dog vaccination schedule
Adult vaccines do not share one cycle, so a dog can have several different due dates. Most of the difference is between the core combination, given every few years, and vaccines that protect for a shorter time, given yearly.
| Vaccine | Usual interval | Whose guidance |
|---|---|---|
| Core combination (CDV/CAV/CPV) | About every 3 years, after a first-year step that differs by guideline. Annual boosters are not necessary. | AAHA: one dose within 1 year of the last puppy dose, then every 3 years. WSAVA: at 3 years of age, then no more often than every 3 years |
| Leptospirosis | Yearly, because protection does not last as long. | AAHA and WSAVA, where the vaccine is used |
| Rabies | No single interval. Vaccines licensed for 1 and for 3 years both exist, and the law may set the timing. Both guidelines include a booster at around the 1-year mark. | AAHA and WSAVA, with local law first |
| Bordetella (kennel cough vaccines) | Usually yearly, for dogs at risk. Product instructions vary. | AAHA and WSAVA |
| Lyme disease | Yearly, for dogs at risk from ticks. WSAVA advises timing it just before tick season. | AAHA and WSAVA |
| Canine influenza | Yearly, for dogs at risk, such as those in kennels, shows or day care. | AAHA and WSAVA, which lists it as licensed only in the USA |
Why the first-year booster differs
WSAVA and AAHA handle the step after the puppy series differently. WSAVA moves it forward, to the 26-week dose or antibody test in the puppy chart, to narrow the time an unprotected puppy would otherwise wait. AAHA places a single dose within 1 year of the last puppy dose. These are separate protocols, and a dog follows one of them. Combining the two would produce a schedule neither recommends.
A yearly check-up is a different thing from a yearly core vaccine. AAHA says dogs should be assessed at least annually, and WSAVA encourages regular health checks, usually annual, as much more than a vaccination appointment.
Core vs risk-based dog vaccines
Core vaccines are recommended broadly. Risk-based vaccines, also called non-core or lifestyle vaccines, depend on where a dog lives and what it does. Which list applies depends partly on geography, so reputable guidelines can differ without either being wrong.
Global guidance: WSAVA
- Core worldwide: CDV, CAV and CPV.
- Rabies: core wherever the disease is endemic or local law requires it.
- Leptospirosis: core where the disease is endemic, the implicated serogroups are known and suitable vaccines are available.
- Non-core: vaccines such as Bordetella, parainfluenza, Lyme disease and canine influenza, for dogs whose location or lifestyle puts them at risk.
US guidance: AAHA
- Core, for all dogs irrespective of lifestyle: distemper, adenovirus, parvovirus, leptospirosis and rabies, unless there is a specific medical reason not to vaccinate. Parainfluenza is shown as optional alongside the combination vaccine.
- Leptospirosis: AAHA updated its guidelines in 2024 to make it a recommended core vaccine for all dogs.
- Rabies: given as required by law, and recommended as core where the law does not mandate it.
- Noncore: Bordetella, Lyme disease, canine influenza and rattlesnake toxoid, based on lifestyle, location and exposure risk.
The two lists differ mainly in scope. WSAVA writes for the whole world and ties leptospirosis to local conditions, while AAHA writes for a region where it considers all dogs at risk. The combination vaccine is often written as DHPP or DAPP on a record, and it may include parainfluenza.
Why does my puppy need several vaccinations instead of one?
Because a puppy’s mother’s antibodies can block a vaccine, and nobody can tell without a blood test when they will fade. A puppy gets these antibodies through the placenta and first milk, a protection the Merck Veterinary Manual calls passive immunity. The amount varies between litters and even within one litter.
While those antibodies are present, they can stop a vaccine from working. As they fade, there is a period when a puppy is no longer fully protected but still cannot respond to vaccination. Repeating the dose every few weeks shortens that gap. WSAVA is clear that these repeat doses are not boosters. The series is a way of covering an unknown date.
By 16 weeks, maternal antibodies can be expected to have waned substantially in a large majority of puppies, which is why the final dose is timed for then or later. WSAVA advises against a routine finish as early as 10 weeks, even though some products are licensed for it, and says that a puppy who can have only one dose should have it at 16 weeks or older.
Missed vaccinations or unknown history
What if my puppy misses a vaccine appointment?
Contact your veterinary practice and rebook, with the date of the last dose to hand. What happens next depends on the vaccine, your puppy’s age and the time since the last dose. For the core combination, WSAVA’s priority is that the last dose is given at 16 weeks or older, regardless of how many came before.
Does a delayed vaccine always mean restarting the series?
No, but sometimes it does. It depends on the vaccine, and on what your veterinarian and the product information advise:
- Core combination: for a dog last vaccinated more than 3 years ago, WSAVA says a single dose should be sufficient, while noting that many product leaflets advise two.
- Two-dose vaccines such as leptospirosis: WSAVA says to assume one dose gives no immunity, and to restart if the second is not given within 6 weeks. It also advises restarting if the last leptospirosis dose was 18 or more months ago, as a precaution on sparse evidence.
- Rabies: the response to an overdue booster may be set by law.
For overdue vaccines, AAHA points veterinarians to the specific manufacturer’s instructions, so the answer can vary by product.
What if I adopt an adult dog with no records?
This is common, and it is not a dead end. Bring whatever exists, even if it is partial: shelter paperwork, a pet passport, previous practice details, a microchip number or a photo of an old card. An incomplete history is still useful.
Guidelines differ on the starting point. For an unvaccinated adult, WSAVA describes a single core combination dose, and two doses of leptospirosis vaccine where that vaccine is used. AAHA’s schedule for dogs over 16 weeks is two combination doses and two leptospirosis doses, each 2–4 weeks apart. Rabies follows local law. AAHA also says the benefits of vaccination far outweigh the risks for dogs with an unknown history.
Rabies vaccination and regional requirements
Rabies scheduling cannot be universal, because it is often a legal requirement as well as a clinical one. WSAVA says local laws and regulations take priority. It adds that booster timing follows the vaccine’s licensed duration, but may be dictated by law in some areas.
For North America, AAHA says the age at first vaccination, booster timing, vaccine formulation, the response to an overdue booster and any exemptions may all be set in law, at local, state or provincial level. It also says antibody testing is not a substitute for rabies vaccination.
The product matters too. Because vaccines licensed for 1 and for 3 years both exist, two correctly vaccinated dogs can be due at different times. Where rabies is endemic, WSAVA says all dogs should be vaccinated even if legislation does not require it.
Travel can add separate rules. Your veterinary practice knows what applies where you live, and the authorities of the destination country set the requirements for entry. This guide does not list rules by country.
Dog vaccination FAQs
When should puppies get their first shots?
Usually at 6–8 weeks of age. Both WSAVA and AAHA begin the core combination vaccine for distemper, adenovirus and parvovirus at this age.
How many rounds of puppy vaccinations are needed?
There is no fixed number. AAHA specifies at least three doses of the combination vaccine, and WSAVA says the count depends on the starting age and the gap between doses. As an example, starting at 8 weeks with 4-week gaps gives three doses, at 8, 12 and 16 weeks. Starting at 6 weeks with 4-week gaps gives four, at 6, 10, 14 and 18 weeks. Leptospirosis and other vaccines are counted separately.
What vaccines do dogs need every year?
Leptospirosis is the main yearly vaccine in both guidelines, where it is used. Risk-based vaccines such as Bordetella, Lyme disease and canine influenza are also generally yearly. The core combination is not: AAHA says annual boosters are not necessary. Rabies depends on the law and the product.
Do adult dogs need vaccines every three years?
Some do. The three-year interval applies to the core combination, after the first-year step. It does not apply to leptospirosis or most risk-based vaccines, and rabies follows law and product. WSAVA says vaccination should not stop at a particular advanced age.
Do indoor dogs still need vaccinations?
Indoor living does not remove a dog from the core recommendations. AAHA recommends core vaccines for all dogs irrespective of lifestyle, and WSAVA treats CDV, CAV and CPV as relevant throughout the world. A mostly indoor life can change which risk-based vaccines make sense, and rabies requirements depend on local law, so indoor status alone cannot tell you the legal position.
Can a puppy socialise before completing the vaccine series?
Yes, with care. WSAVA strongly supports early socialisation, says it can begin before the series is finished, and reports research finding a low risk of parvovirus disease from early socialisation classes. It also says to keep puppies away from potentially contaminated environments outside the home, and to allow contact only with healthy puppies and fully vaccinated adult dogs. Merck’s owner guidance similarly says to keep puppies away from unvaccinated dogs or dogs of unknown status. Your veterinary practice can tell you which classes and places suit the risks where you live.
What to keep in your dog’s vaccination record
A vaccination record is what a new practice, boarding kennel or travel authority will ask for. For each vaccine, keep:
- Which vaccine it was, as specifically as the record states
- The date given, and the next due date if one was supplied
- The practice and veterinarian who gave it
- Manufacturer, product name and batch or lot number, where shown
- Any reaction, and any instruction you were given about one
The product and lot details help a veterinarian work out which interval applies. Photograph the card rather than relying on a remembered date. Our guides to preparing information for a vet visit and what to track when your pet seems different cover the wider record, including how to note a reaction.
Track your dog’s vaccinations with Patter
Once your veterinarian has set the plan, the task is keeping track of it. Patter keeps your dog’s vaccination schedule and history alongside vet visit information and the rest of their health context, against one profile. It shows what is next, gives approaching and overdue notices, and explains why a vaccine is relevant for your dog. See health in Patter and Patter for dogs.
A date in Patter is a reminder of your veterinarian’s plan. Patter does not decide which vaccines your dog needs, set or override a due date, or issue rabies requirements. Patter and your veterinarian explains where that line sits.
Related
- Cat vaccination schedule — the same questions for cats, where the core list and the indoor-cat question both work differently.
- How to prepare information for a vet visit — the wider set of information worth bringing.
- What to track when your pet seems different — recording an observation well, including after a vaccination.
Sources
The veterinary facts on this page come from the references below. Citing a reference does not mean its publisher endorses or is affiliated with Patter.
- 2024 guidelines for the vaccination of dogs and cats – compiled by the Vaccination Guidelines Group (VGG)WSAVA (World Small Animal Veterinary Association)2024Cited for: global core classification, the puppy series, the 26-week step, adult intervals, leptospirosis, rabies, risk-based vaccines, lapsed vaccination, unvaccinated adults, socialisation and vaccination records
- Recommendations for core and noncore canine vaccinesAAHA (American Animal Hospital Association)2022, updated 2024Cited for: the US schedule for each core and noncore vaccine, the definition of core, and overdue or unknown vaccination
- 2022 AAHA Canine Vaccination Guidelines (updated 2024)AAHA (American Animal Hospital Association)2022, updated 2024Cited for: the 2024 update making leptospirosis a recommended core vaccine for all dogs
- Key Vaccination: RabiesAAHA (American Animal Hospital Association)2022Cited for: US rabies law, product labelling and the booster 1 year after the first dose
- Key Vaccination: Canine Parvovirus (CPV)AAHA (American Animal Hospital Association)2022Cited for: a later final puppy dose where parvovirus risk is high, and why annual core boosters are not necessary
- Key Vaccination: LeptospirosisAAHA (American Animal Hospital Association)2022Cited for: US leptospirosis risk and annual boosters
- Vaccines and ImmunotherapyMerck Veterinary ManualCited for: maternal antibody and passive immunity, explained for owners
- Puppy CareMerck Veterinary ManualCited for: protecting a puppy while the series is incomplete
- When to See a VeterinarianMerck Veterinary ManualCited for: signs that need immediate veterinary attention