Dog Vaccine Schedule: What to Expect From Puppy to Adult

The dog vaccine schedule starts with a core series at about 6 to 8 weeks, repeated every 3 to 4 weeks until about 16 weeks. A booster follows around 6 to 12 months, and after that WSAVA says core shots come no more often than every 3 years. Rabies follows local law.

Photo by jaclou-dl (Pixabay), CC0 1.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Key points

• Core vaccines are recommended for essentially every dog. Noncore ones depend on where your dog lives and what it does.
• The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) says the core series starts no earlier than 6 weeks and repeats every 3 to 4 weeks until 16 weeks of age.
• Rabies timing is set by local law and the product, so your vet decides.
• Keep a written record of every dose and the date of the next one.

This is general information, not veterinary advice. Ask your vet for the schedule that fits your dog.

A new puppy usually arrives with a list of strange names and dates from the first vet visit. I am not a vet. I read the published guidelines and put them in plain words, so you walk into the appointment with better questions.

What is the dog vaccine schedule from puppy to adult?

It runs in four stages: a puppy series up to about 16 weeks, a first booster at 6 to 12 months, rabies as local law requires, and later revaccination. The exact dates come from your vet.

This table summarizes the WSAVA 2024 guidance for core vaccines, plus the RSPCA view. It describes published guidance and is not a prescription for your dog.

Stage	What the guidelines say
Puppy series	Start no earlier than 6 weeks, repeat every 3 to 4 weeks until 16 weeks (until 20 weeks in especially high risk situations)
First booster	Consider at about 6 months (WSAVA); the RSPCA says 6 or 12 months
Adult core shots	Revaccinate at 3 years of age, then no more often than every 3 years (WSAVA)
Rabies	Follow local law first; WSAVA lists revaccination at 1 year of age
Some noncore shots	Listed as annual, for example Bordetella, leptospirosis and canine influenza

What are core and noncore dog vaccines?

Core vaccines are recommended for essentially every dog. Noncore vaccines are extras chosen for a dog's lifestyle and region.

WSAVA lists canine parvovirus, canine distemper and canine adenovirus type 2 as core, and these can be given combined in one injection. Rabies is core wherever the disease is present or the law requires it. Leptospirosis is core where it is common.

Noncore vaccines in the WSAVA table include Bordetella (one cause of kennel cough), canine parainfluenza, Lyme disease and canine influenza. WSAVA notes that the canine influenza vaccine is licensed only in the USA and worth considering for dogs in kennels, shows or day care. The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) uses the same core and noncore split, with recommendations based on each dog's individual risk. I read only the abstract of the AAHA guidelines because its site is blocked from my machine.

What is the puppy shots schedule?

Puppies usually get several doses 3 to 4 weeks apart, finishing at 16 weeks or later. Antibodies from the mother can interfere with the vaccine, and the repeated doses cover that gap.

WSAVA's table says to start no earlier than 6 weeks and revaccinate every 3 to 4 weeks until 16 weeks, with extension to 20 weeks in especially high risk situations. This is only an illustration of how the spacing can look:

Puppy age	What often happens
6 to 8 weeks	First core dose, if the breeder or shelter has not given it
10 to 12 weeks	Second core dose; leptospirosis may begin (initial dose usually from 8 weeks)
14 to 16 weeks	Last core dose of the series; rabies where local rules allow

UK advice reads a little differently. The RSPCA says puppies are typically vaccinated at eight and ten weeks, with a second dose usually two to four weeks after the first, and its puppy care page puts second vaccinations around 12 weeks. If your breeder gave a first dose, keep their paperwork.

On socialization, the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB) says the first three months are the main window for a puppy to get used to new people, animals and places. It says puppies should have at least one set of vaccines, and a first deworming, at least 7 days before the first puppy class. Your vet can tell you what is safe before the series is finished.

When do boosters come?

A booster is a repeat dose after the puppy series. For core vaccines, WSAVA says to consider one at about 6 months, then revaccinate at 3 years and no more often than every 3 years after that.

WSAVA's reason for the early booster is to narrow the window in which a puppy might not be protected, instead of waiting until 12 to 16 months. Clinics do not all follow the same calendar and products carry different labels. The RSPCA says a booster at 6 or 12 months. Ask your vet when the first booster is due and when the next one falls. The WSAVA table lists several noncore vaccines as annual, including Bordetella, Lyme, canine influenza and leptospirosis.

When does a puppy get the rabies vaccine?

It depends on local law and the product. WSAVA says to follow local laws first, and notes that in some countries the first dose is not given before 12 weeks of age.

WSAVA also lists revaccination at 1 year of age, and says later boosters follow the product's licensed duration, with the law deciding in some areas. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says pet owners can lower their risk by keeping pets up to date on rabies vaccines. Rules differ between countries and between places within a country, so ask your vet which ones apply to you. I will not guess a date here.

What should I ask my vet about vaccines?

Write these on your phone before the visit:

• Which vaccines does my dog need, and which are optional for our lifestyle?
• What is the date of the next dose, and how many are left in the puppy series?
• When is the first booster, and when is the one after that?
• What does our area require for rabies, and where do I get the certificate?
• Which signs after a vaccine mean I should call you?
• Can you print or email the full vaccine record?

Day care, kennel boarding, group classes, hikes through tick country and swimming in ponds all change which noncore vaccines make sense. Describe your dog's actual week to the vet.

How can I keep vaccine dates straight?

Write every dose in one place with the next due date beside it, and set a reminder for that date. A paper card in a drawer works until it does not, so copy this table into your notes app:

Vaccine	Date given	Next due	Vet notes
Core combination, dose 1
Core combination, dose 2
Core combination, dose 3
Rabies
Booster
Other (kennel cough, leptospirosis)

I built Pawlarm, a reminder app for dogs and cats on the iPhone, so I will be exact about it. Pawlarm has no vaccine schedule and does not tell you which shots to give. For a young pet it adds one reminder, titled Vaccine series check in, 14 days after you set the pet up, with a note to ask your vet for exact dates. For an adult dog it adds a yearly reminder called Annual checkup & vaccine review, which you should move to your real appointment date. You can add your own one time reminder for any date your vet gives you, such as the next dose or the rabies booster, and edit or delete it later. There is no account and your pet's details stay on your phone. See Pawlarm on the App Store if that helps. A paper card and a calendar entry work too.

Frequently asked questions

When do puppies get their first shots?

WSAVA says the core series should start no earlier than 6 weeks of age. Many puppies get a first dose from the breeder or shelter before they go home. Your vet sets the schedule after checking what your puppy has already had, so bring any paperwork you were given.

How many puppy shots are there?

It varies by region and product. WSAVA describes repeating the core vaccines every 3 to 4 weeks until 16 weeks of age, which usually means three or four visits. Rabies and optional vaccines come on top, depending on your area and lifestyle. Ask your vet for a written plan for your puppy.

When does a puppy get the rabies vaccine?

It depends on local law and the product. WSAVA notes that in some countries the first dose is not given before 12 weeks of age, and it lists revaccination at 1 year of age. Later boosters follow the product label or the law. Your vet knows the rules where you live.

Do adult dogs need vaccines every year?

Not for every vaccine. WSAVA suggests core vaccines be repeated at 3 years and then no more often than every 3 years, while several noncore vaccines are listed as annual. Rabies depends on the product and the law. Ask your vet to set your dog's schedule.

How I wrote this

On 15 October 2026 I read the WSAVA 2024 dog vaccination table, the AVSAB socialization statement, and the RSPCA and CDC pages. The AAHA site is blocked from my machine, so I leaned on WSAVA and read only the AAHA abstract. I also checked in Pawlarm's source code what it does about vaccines.

This is general information, not medical or veterinary advice. Ask your doctor or vet.

By John Osakwe, founder of Etest Tech Hub. I have built apps and websites since 2015, including Etest JAMB CBT, FizzFree and Pawlarm.