Dog Vaccination Schedule by Age: From Puppy to Adult

Most puppies start vaccines at around 6 to 8 weeks old, receive a dose every 2 to 4 weeks until they are 16 weeks or older, and have a booster 6 to 12 months later. Many core vaccines are then repeated every three years, while lifestyle vaccines such as Bordetella are usually yearly. Your vet sets the exact plan.

If you share a home with more than one dog, you are often tracking two schedules at once: a puppy with visits every few weeks and an adult whose booster falls in a different month. This guide walks through each age stage, the vaccines involved, and how to keep the dates from slipping. For cats and kittens, see our puppy and kitten vaccine guide.

Key takeaways

• The puppy course usually starts at 6 to 8 weeks, repeats every 2 to 4 weeks, and ends with a dose at 16 weeks or older.
• A booster follows within about 6 to 12 months to complete the primary course.
• After that, intervals differ by vaccine: many core vaccines every three years, leptospirosis and Bordetella usually yearly, and rabies by law and product licence.
• Schedules vary by vet, vaccine brand, country and lifestyle. Your vet sets the plan; this helps you follow it.
• A late booster is often fixable, but ask your vet before boarding or travel, as the course may need repeating.
• Keep dates, batch numbers and the original rabies certificate. Kennels and borders ask for them.

When to call the vet after a vaccination

Most dogs have no reaction. Mild effects in the first day or two usually pass on their own: tiredness, a small tender lump at the injection site, or a smaller appetite for a day.

Contact your vet the same day if you notice:

• A lump that is growing, painful, or still there after a month
• Lethargy or no appetite lasting more than 48 hours
• Hives, itching or redness on the skin
• Vomiting or diarrhoea

Treat these as an emergency and phone your vet or an out-of-hours clinic straight away:

• Swelling of the face, muzzle, lips or around the eyes
• Difficulty breathing, noisy breathing or repeated coughing
• Collapse, extreme weakness or pale gums
• Repeated vomiting soon after the injection

Serious reactions are uncommon and usually appear within minutes to hours. Tell your vet about any past reaction, as they may change the vaccine or space injections out. Vets are also advised to report suspected adverse events to the manufacturer and regulator, as the WSAVA 2024 guidelines describe.

Core and lifestyle vaccines for dogs

Vets group dog vaccines into two kinds. Core vaccines protect against serious or widespread disease and are recommended for every dog. Lifestyle (non-core) vaccines are chosen by your dog’s risk.

The WSAVA 2024 guidelines name distemper, adenovirus and parvovirus as the core vaccines for dogs. They treat rabies as core where rabies is present, and leptospirosis as core where it is endemic and suitable vaccines exist. AAHA’s 2022 guidelines list distemper, adenovirus, parvovirus, leptospirosis and rabies as core.

The first three usually come in one combination injection, which a vaccine card may show as DHPP or DA2PP. Rabies is a separate injection.

Common lifestyle vaccines include Bordetella (kennel cough), Lyme disease where ticks carrying it are common, and canine influenza where outbreaks occur. WSAVA treats vaccines against respiratory disease as non-core for most pet dogs, chosen by risk. Dogs that visit kennels, daycare or groomers are more likely to need Bordetella, and many kennels ask to see it.

Dog vaccination schedule by age

Schedules vary between vets, brands and countries, so treat this as a general picture. Doses repeat so that at least one lands after the antibodies a puppy received from its mother have faded.

Some vets use a shorter puppy course with fewer doses, depending on the vaccine. Ask your vet when your puppy is fully covered and when it is safe to walk in public places and meet unfamiliar dogs.

How often do adult dogs need boosters?

Once the puppy course and first booster are complete, timing depends on the vaccine rather than one yearly jab for everything. AAHA describes the core combination vaccine every three years, leptospirosis annually, and Bordetella annually for dogs at risk. Lyme and canine influenza vaccines, where used, are also annual.

WSAVA says core vaccines should not be given more often than necessary in adult dogs, and gives about one year as the usual duration for most non-core vaccines. Rabies intervals follow local law and the product licence.

Most dogs still see the vet once a year. The visit is a health check and a chance to review what is due. See our guide to flea, tick and heartworm prevention for the parasite side of that review.

What if a booster is late?

A few weeks late is often manageable, but protection may have lapsed. After a long gap, your vet may repeat the doses rather than give a single booster. AAHA advises checking the vaccine manufacturer’s instructions for overdue doses, which your vet will do.

If you have adopted a dog with no vaccine history, AAHA’s guidelines state that the benefits of vaccinating far outweigh the risks, and describe an initial two-dose series for dogs over 16 weeks. Your vet decides the plan. Until your dog is covered, avoid kennels and unfamiliar dogs.

Where the rules change by country

Vaccine brands, disease risk and legal requirements differ between countries. Leptospirosis is treated as core in some guidance and as risk-based in others. Rabies is a legal requirement in some countries, while in others it is given mainly for travel. Lyme disease vaccines only matter in areas with the ticks that carry it.

Check local rules with your vet before assuming a schedule from another country applies to your dog.

Keeping several dogs’ vaccines on track

If you only have one dog and one booster to remember, a calendar alert works. With two or three dogs, due dates scatter across the year: one dog’s rabies in March, another’s Bordetella in September, a puppy’s visits every few weeks. These habits help whichever tool you use:

• Ask for the next due date of every vaccine before you leave the clinic, not just the next appointment.
• Photograph each card entry, and keep the original card in one folder per dog.
• Set reminders two to four weeks before a due date, so you have time to book.
• Take previous records to each appointment, especially paperwork from a breeder, rescue or earlier vet, and mention any past reaction.
• Tell your vet about lifestyle changes, such as starting daycare or planning travel.

Petify turns each booster into a reminder by push, SMS, email or calendar, and shows every dog’s dates on one colour-coded timeline.

Proof for kennels, daycare and travel

Kennels and daycares usually ask for the core combination vaccine and Bordetella. They also ask for rabies where it applies locally, and some ask for canine influenza. Bring the dates, next due dates, batch numbers and clinic details, not just a stamp.

Crossing borders is stricter. Many countries set a waiting period after the first rabies vaccine, and some require extra tests. Read our pet travel documents guide well before you book.

Share a health passport by QR code or link. The kennel needs no app and no login. A Petify health passport is a shareable summary of your records and does not replace an official health certificate or rabies certificate.

How Petify helps with dog vaccine reminders

Petify keeps each dog’s vaccine card, due dates and reminders in one place, so a second dog does not mean a second system.

1. Add each dog as a profile. Each dog gets its own records and timeline.
2. Scan the vaccination card. Open Records, photograph the card, and Petify reads the vaccine names, dates, doses and lot numbers. Anything unclear is highlighted for you to confirm before it is saved.
3. Check the timeline and pick reminders. On the reminders timeline, green is current, gold is due soon and red is overdue. Choose push, SMS, email or calendar, one day, three days or a week ahead, and invite family so everyone sees the same dates.

Petify works out the next due date from the vaccine type, the date given and your dog’s age. You can change it to the date your vet gave you. Records are stored on your phone first and work offline, and sign-in is only needed for backup.

It does not replace your vet’s advice; it keeps the dates where you can see them. Free to download on iPhone, iPad and Android. Add your first pet in under a minute.

Download on the App Store
Get it on Google Play

Frequently asked questions

When can my puppy go outside after vaccinations?

It depends on the vaccines your vet uses and the disease risk where you live, so ask your vet for a date. Many vets advise waiting a week or two after the final puppy dose before public walks. Until then, your own garden and carried outings are common choices.

Do dogs need vaccines every year?

Not every vaccine. After the puppy course and first booster, our guidelines give the core combination vaccine every three years, while leptospirosis and Bordetella are given yearly when used. Rabies follows local law and the product licence. Most dogs still get a yearly check-up.

Which vaccines do kennels and daycare usually ask for?

Most ask for proof of the core combination vaccine, and for rabies where it applies locally. Many also ask for Bordetella (kennel cough), and some for canine influenza. Check requirements early, because a lapsed booster can mean a delay.

Can an adult dog with no vaccine history start vaccinating?

Yes, but your vet decides the plan. AAHA’s guidelines describe an initial series of two doses, two to four weeks apart, for dogs over 16 weeks, and say the benefits of vaccination far outweigh the risks when history is unknown. Bring any rescue or breeder paperwork you have.

What should I keep as proof of vaccination?

Keep the date each vaccine was given, the next due date, the product and batch number, and the clinic’s details. Keep the original rabies certificate safe and photograph every card entry. Many kennels and border checks ask for these details, not just a stamp.

General information only, not veterinary advice. If you’re worried about your pet, contact your vet.

Keep reminders and records in Petify →