Puppy Vaccination Schedule Calculator
Generate a dated core vaccination timeline from your puppy's date of birth, including boosters and the date it is safe to socialize fully in public.
If you do not know it exactly, your vet's estimate is close enough.
Next due
Second DHPP dose Thu, 24 Sept 2026
- Final puppy dose (16 weeks)
- Thu, 5 Nov 2026
- Safe for full public socialization
- Thu, 19 Nov 2026
| Age | Date | What | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 wk | Thu, 27 Aug 2026 | First DHPP dose Distemper, hepatitis (adenovirus), parvovirus and parainfluenza. Usually given by the breeder. | Core |
| 10 wk | Thu, 24 Sept 2026 | Second DHPP dose Given two to four weeks after the first. | Core |
| 13 wk | Thu, 15 Oct 2026 | Third DHPP dose Maternal antibody is fading by now, so this dose usually takes. | Core |
| 14 wk | Thu, 22 Oct 2026 | Rabies Timing is set by local law in most countries, commonly 12 to 16 weeks. Check your area. | Rabies |
| 16 wk | Thu, 5 Nov 2026 | Final puppy DHPP dose Must be at 16 weeks or later. This is the dose that reliably produces immunity, and the course is not complete without it. | Core |
| 18 wk | Thu, 19 Nov 2026 | Safe for full public socialization About two weeks after the final dose, once immunity has developed. Controlled socialization before this point still matters; ask your vet how to do it safely. | Milestone |
| 52 wk | Thu, 15 Jul 2027 | First-year booster DHPP and rabies booster at 12 months, or six months after the final puppy dose. | Core |
| 156 wk | Thu, 12 Jul 2029 | Triennial booster WSAVA advises core boosters no more often than every three years thereafter. Rabies interval is set by law. | Core |
The dose at 16 weeks or later is the one that reliably works. Maternal antibody can neutralize earlier doses, so a course that stops at 12 weeks may leave a puppy unprotected against parvovirus.
Optional vaccines to discuss
- Leptospirosis. Two doses two to four weeks apart from 8 weeks, then yearly. Advised where there is standing water, rodents or livestock. Core in some countries, including the UK.
- Bordetella (kennel cough). Usually required for boarding, daycare, grooming and training classes. Intranasal or oral forms act fastest.
- Lyme disease. Only where Ixodes ticks carrying Borrelia are established. Two doses, then yearly.
- Canine influenza (H3N2/H3N8). For dogs that board, show or mix in groups during an outbreak. Two doses, then yearly.
How this is calculated
The schedule follows WSAVA and AAHA guidance: a series of core doses starting at 6 to 8 weeks, repeated every two to four weeks, with the final dose at 16 weeks or older.
dose dates = date of birth + 6, 10, 13 and 16 weeks
rabies = date of birth + 14 weeks (check local law)
safe out = final dose + 2 weeks
boosters = 12 months, then every 3 years Why a series rather than one injection
Puppies absorb antibodies from their mother's first milk. Those antibodies protect against disease and simultaneously neutralize vaccine, and they fade at an age that varies from puppy to puppy, anywhere from 8 to 16 weeks. Nobody can tell without testing when a given puppy becomes able to respond. Giving several doses covers the whole window, and the final one after 16 weeks catches the latecomers.
Non-core vaccines
| Vaccine | When it applies |
|---|---|
| Leptospirosis | Two doses two to four weeks apart from 8 weeks, then yearly. Advised where there is standing water, rodents or livestock. Core in some countries, including the UK. |
| Bordetella (kennel cough) | Usually required for boarding, daycare, grooming and training classes. Intranasal or oral forms act fastest. |
| Lyme disease | Only where Ixodes ticks carrying Borrelia are established. Two doses, then yearly. |
| Canine influenza (H3N2/H3N8) | For dogs that board, show or mix in groups during an outbreak. Two doses, then yearly. |
Sources
- WSAVA Vaccination Guidelines Group. Guidelines for the Vaccination of Dogs and Cats.
- American Animal Hospital Association. 2022 AAHA Canine Vaccination Guidelines (updated 2024). J Am Anim Hosp Assoc. 2022;58:1–19.
- American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior. Position Statement on Puppy Socialization (PDF).
Socialization versus protection
These two goals pull against each other, and the resolution matters. The behavioral socialization window closes at around 12 to 14 weeks, well before the vaccination course finishes. A puppy kept in complete isolation until 18 weeks is protected from parvovirus and at real risk of lifelong fear and reactivity.
The veterinary behavior position is clear: socialize during the course, but manage the risk. Carry your puppy in public, use clean private gardens, meet healthy vaccinated adult dogs, and attend a puppy class that requires proof of vaccination and disinfects its floor. Avoid dog parks, pet shop floors and anywhere with unknown dogs until the course is complete.
Local rules vary
Rabies timing and booster intervals are set by law and differ between countries and even between states. Leptospirosis is a core vaccine in the UK and non-core in much of the US. Treat this schedule as the framework and let your own vet fill in the local specifics.
Common questions
What is the puppy vaccination schedule?
Core vaccination starts at 6 to 8 weeks and repeats every two to four weeks until at least 16 weeks of age, which usually means three or four doses. Rabies is given around 12 to 16 weeks depending on local law, then a booster at one year and core boosters every three years after that.
Why does the last puppy vaccine have to be at 16 weeks?
Antibodies from the mother protect a puppy early on, but they also block vaccines from working. That protection fades at an unpredictable age, usually between 8 and 16 weeks. A dose given at or after 16 weeks is the one that reliably takes, which is why stopping at 12 weeks can leave a puppy unprotected against parvovirus.
When can my puppy go outside?
About two weeks after the final core dose, so roughly 18 weeks. That does not mean isolation until then. Carry your puppy outdoors, visit friends with vaccinated healthy dogs, and attend a well-run puppy class, because the socialization window closes around 12 to 14 weeks and behavioral problems cause more deaths in dogs than infectious disease does.
What are core vaccines for dogs?
Distemper, canine adenovirus (hepatitis) and parvovirus, usually combined as DHP or DHPP with parainfluenza. Rabies is core wherever it is present or legally required. These are recommended for every dog regardless of lifestyle.
Do adult dogs need yearly vaccinations?
Not for the core vaccines. WSAVA guidance is boosters no more often than every three years, because immunity to distemper, adenovirus and parvovirus lasts years. Some non-core vaccines such as leptospirosis and kennel cough do need annual repetition, which is why many practices still see dogs yearly.
What if my puppy misses a dose?
Give it as soon as you can. In most cases the course continues from where it left off rather than restarting. Long gaps in the middle of a course are worth discussing with your vet, particularly if the puppy is going somewhere with parvovirus risk.
Can I use titre testing instead of boosting?
For distemper, adenovirus and parvovirus, yes; a protective titre means a booster is not needed. Titres are not useful for leptospirosis, and rabies titres do not substitute for legally required vaccination.