Puppy vaccine schedule reminders: how to keep every date

The puppy vaccine schedule starts at about 6 to 8 weeks, with a dose every 3 to 4 weeks until around 16 weeks, then a booster between 6 and 12 months. Your vet sets the exact dates. The hard part is keeping them, so set a reminder for each dose the day your vet gives you the date.

Key points

• WSAVA, the World Small Animal Veterinary Association, says the core series starts no earlier than 6 weeks and repeats every 3 to 4 weeks until 16 weeks.
• That usually means three or four visits in the first months, plus rabies where your area requires it.
• A booster comes around 6 to 12 months. After that, WSAVA says core vaccines are needed no more often than every 3 years.
• Write every date down and set a reminder for the next one before you leave the clinic.

What is the puppy vaccine schedule?

Here is the short version from the WSAVA dog vaccination table. My full dog vaccine schedule goes into more detail.

Age	What usually happens
6 to 8 weeks	First core dose: distemper, parvovirus and adenovirus, usually as one combined shot
Every 3 to 4 weeks after	Another core dose
About 16 weeks	Last dose of the puppy series, or up to 20 weeks in high risk situations
Set by local law	Rabies. In some countries the first dose is not given before 12 weeks
6 to 12 months	First booster. WSAVA suggests considering one at about 6 months
3 years, then every 3 years or less often	Core boosters, per WSAVA

The American Animal Hospital Association also splits dog vaccines into core and noncore, and bases noncore ones on your dog's risk. Kennel cough and leptospirosis are examples your vet may add, depending on where you live and what your dog does.

This table is a summary. Clinics and vaccine products differ, so follow your vet's plan.

Why do puppies need several doses?

A puppy gets antibodies from its mother, and they fade at a time nobody can predict for a given puppy. While they last, they can stop a vaccine from working. Repeating the dose every few weeks until about 16 weeks gives the vaccine a chance to work once the mother's protection has gone. That is why missing a dose matters, and why the dates are close together.

How do I keep track of puppy vaccine dates?

1. Ask for a written plan at the first visit. Which vaccines, how many doses and roughly when.
2. Set the next reminder before you leave. Put the date in your phone while you are still at the desk.
3. Keep one record. The vaccine card from the clinic, and a photo of it on your phone.
4. Add a reminder a few days early. Clinics fill up, and you may need to book.
5. Bring the record to every visit, including any paperwork from the breeder or shelter.

Can an app remind me of my puppy's vaccines?

Yes, if you give it the dates. I built Pawlarm, a pet care reminder app for dogs and cats, so I will be exact about what it does.

• When you add a puppy, it builds a care plan from the breed and age, with meals, walks, training, grooming and monthly flea, tick and heartworm reminders.
• For vaccines, it adds one reminder 14 days after you set the puppy up, titled Vaccine series check in, with a note to ask your vet for the exact dates.
• You add each date your vet gives you as a one time reminder, and edit or delete it later.
• Once your dog is an adult, it sets a yearly checkup and vaccine review that you can move to your real appointment date.

Pawlarm does not have a vaccine schedule built in and does not tell you which shots to give. That is your vet's job. There is no account, and your dog's details stay on your phone.

Pawlarm is free on iPhone and Android. See Pawlarm, or get it on the App Store or Google Play. A paper card and a calendar entry work too.

Frequently asked questions

Is there an app that reminds me of my puppy's vaccine schedule?

Yes. Pawlarm adds a vaccine check in reminder when you set up a puppy, and you can add each date your vet gives you as its own reminder. It is free on iPhone and Android with no account. It does not set the dates itself, because those come from your vet.

How many vaccine visits does a puppy need?

Usually three or four in the first months. WSAVA describes core doses every 3 to 4 weeks from no earlier than 6 weeks until 16 weeks. Rabies and any noncore vaccines can add visits, depending on your area. Ask your vet for a written plan.

What if my puppy misses a vaccine dose?

Call your vet and book the next visit as soon as you can. Do not try to work out the new dates yourself. Your vet will decide whether the series continues or needs another dose, based on your puppy's age and what it has had.

When can my puppy go outside after its vaccines?

Ask your vet, because it depends on the vaccines, the local risk and where you want to go. For puppy classes, the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior says a puppy should have had at least one set of vaccines at least 7 days before the first class.

How I wrote this

The vaccine details come from the WSAVA dog vaccination table and the AAHA guideline abstract, which I read on 15 October 2026 for my full dog vaccine post. On 22 October 2026 I checked in Pawlarm's 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 CBT, FizzFree and Pawlarm.