DogsLifeGuide
Puppy vaccination schedule: how it usually works
Under the WSAVA guidelines, puppies get core vaccines from 6–8 weeks, repeated every 2–4 weeks until at least 16 weeks, then a booster from 26 weeks. Local schedules vary; your vet sets your puppy's plan.
Most puppies follow a pattern like this: core vaccines start at 6–8 weeks of age, are repeated every 2–4 weeks until the puppy is at least 16 weeks old, and are followed by a further dose at or after 26 weeks. That is the recommendation of the WSAVA (World Small Animal Veterinary Association) 2024 vaccination guidelines. Actual schedules differ between countries, vaccine products and clinics, so treat this page as background, not as a plan. Your vet decides which vaccines your puppy needs and when.
What are core vaccines?
The WSAVA defines core vaccines as those that every dog should receive. For dogs everywhere in the world, these protect against three serious viral diseases:
- Canine distemper virus (CDV)
- Canine adenovirus (CAV), which causes infectious canine hepatitis
- Canine parvovirus (CPV)
WSAVA also notes that vets in some places treat other vaccines as core. Where rabies is endemic, it recommends vaccinating all dogs, and where canine leptospirosis is common and suitable vaccines exist, leptospirosis vaccination is highly recommended and considered core in those places.
Non-core vaccines are recommended depending on where a dog lives and how it lives, for example kennel cough vaccines (such as canine parainfluenza virus and Bordetella). WSAVA says the choice of non-core vaccines needs a careful conversation between vet and owner.
The general puppy pattern (WSAVA)
| Stage | What WSAVA recommends |
|---|---|
| First core dose | From 6–8 weeks of age |
| Further doses | Every 2–4 weeks (not more often than every 2 weeks) |
| Final puppy dose | At 16 weeks of age or older |
| Next core dose | At or after 26 weeks of age |
| Adult core boosters | No more often than every 3 years |
| Most non-core vaccines | Protection lasts about 1 year |
Source: WSAVA 2024 guidelines for the vaccination of dogs and cats. Rabies and leptospirosis follow their own product instructions and local rules.
- 16–8 weeks: first core dose.
- 2Every 2–4 weeks: further doses (not more often than every 2 weeks) until the puppy is at least 16 weeks old.
- 316 weeks or older: final puppy dose.
- 4At or after 26 weeks: next core dose.
Source: WSAVA 2024 guidelines, as in the table above. Schedules differ between countries, vaccine products and clinics. Your vet decides which vaccines your puppy needs and when.
Why puppies need several doses
A puppy gets antibodies from its mother. These maternally derived antibodies protect it in the first weeks, but they also interfere with vaccines. The WSAVA guidelines explain that the level of these antibodies varies a lot between and within litters, so it's impossible to know exactly when a given puppy's vaccine will "take".
The answer is to repeat the vaccine every few weeks, which narrows the window in which a puppy is unprotected. WSAVA calls the dose at 16 weeks or older the most important of the early doses, because by then the mother's antibodies will have faded in a large majority of puppies. The extra dose at or after 26 weeks is there to catch the minority whose antibodies were still interfering at 16 weeks.
Why your vet's schedule may look different
Don't be surprised if your vet's plan doesn't match the table exactly. Schedules vary because of local disease risk, national rules, the vaccine products available and when your puppy started. Two examples:
- United Kingdom: the PDSA says puppies ideally start at around 6–8 weeks with 2 injections, 2–4 weeks apart, with some puppies needing a third. UK dogs are vaccinated against parvovirus, distemper, infectious hepatitis and leptospirosis; leptospirosis needs a yearly booster, while the others are boosted every three years.
- Sweden: the Swedish Kennel Club (SKK) describes a basic vaccination at around 8 weeks (usually arranged by the breeder), another at 12 weeks and one at around a year, against distemper, hepatitis and parvovirus, with kennel cough (parainfluenza) also recommended. The Swedish Veterinary Agency (SVA) points owners to a vet for individual advice.
Neither is "right" or "wrong"; they reflect local conditions and products. If your vet's plan differs from WSAVA's, it's perfectly reasonable to ask why.
Before your puppy is fully protected
The weeks between bringing your puppy home and its final primary dose are also the most important weeks for socialisation, so most advice is about managing risk rather than staying indoors entirely. The WSAVA guidelines note that careful socialisation can begin before the vaccination series is complete. The PDSA's practical guidance:
- puppies are fully protected 2–4 weeks after the final injection of the primary course;
- until then, carry your puppy rather than letting it walk on the ground in public places;
- your own garden is fine as long as no unvaccinated dogs have been there;
- don't let your puppy mix with unvaccinated dogs from outside your household.
Ask your vet when your puppy can start walks and puppy classes. Meanwhile, use the time for potty training, gentle handling and short, calm new experiences.
After the vaccination: what's normal?
The PDSA says most dogs have no side effects at all. If they do, they're usually mild, such as a raised temperature, low energy or reduced appetite, and pass within 24–48 hours. Contact your vet if your puppy seems unwell for longer than that, or if any reaction worries you.
A quiet day after a vaccination is normal. Let your puppy rest and keep an eye on its appetite and energy. If you log meals, naps and walks in DogsLife, it's easy to compare the day after a vaccination with a normal day and spot anything unusual to mention to your vet. You can also note the vaccination date there alongside your vet's record so you know when the next one is due.
Adult boosters and health checks
WSAVA advises against giving vaccines needlessly: core vaccines for adult dogs should be given no more often than every 3 years, because modern core vaccines give immunity that lasts many years. Non-core vaccines usually need to be given yearly because their protection lasts about a year. WSAVA encourages an annual health check that covers far more than vaccines.
What to ask your vet
- Which core and non-core vaccines do you recommend for my puppy, and why?
- What dates are the remaining puppy doses?
- When will my puppy be protected enough for walks, classes and meeting other dogs?
- Will my puppy need a dose at around 6 months or at around a year?
- Do we need rabies vaccination for travel?
Frequently asked questions
When should a puppy have its first vaccination?
The WSAVA guidelines recommend starting core vaccines at 6–8 weeks of age, and the PDSA gives the same starting window for UK puppies. Many puppies have their first dose arranged by the breeder; your vet plans the rest.
Why do puppies need several vaccinations?
Antibodies from the mother can block a vaccine from working, and nobody knows exactly when they fade in an individual puppy. Repeating doses until at least 16 weeks, as WSAVA recommends, covers that uncertain window.
When can my puppy go out for walks?
Ask your vet, since it depends on your puppy's schedule and local risk. The PDSA says puppies are fully protected 2–4 weeks after their final primary injection, and suggests carrying your puppy in public places until then.
Does my dog need a booster every year?
It depends on the vaccine. WSAVA advises that core vaccines for adult dogs be given no more often than every 3 years, while most non-core vaccines (such as leptospirosis) protect for about a year. Your vet will advise at the annual health check.
Sources
- 2024 guidelines for the vaccination of dogs and cats (WSAVA Vaccination Guidelines Group) — World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA)
- Vaccination guidelines — WSAVA
- Dog vaccines — PDSA
- Vaccination (Swedish) — Svenska Kennelklubben (SKK)
- Vaccination av hund (Swedish) — Swedish Veterinary Agency (SVA)