When Do Puppies Get Their First Shots? First Year Schedule

Puppies usually get the first combination shot between 6 and 8 weeks of age. The AVMA starts the series then, and says the last dose in that series is at 16 weeks or older for most puppies. The AAHA chart calls for at least three combination doses between 6 and 16 weeks, given 2 to 4 weeks apart. The guidelines overview notes the 2024 update that added leptospirosis to the core list. The 2024 WSAVA vaccination guidelines say to start no earlier than 6 weeks, then repeat every 3 to 4 weeks until 16 weeks or older.

Antibodies from the mother’s milk protect a young puppy and can also block a vaccine. They fade on a different schedule in every puppy, so one early shot is not enough (AVMA, WSAVA).

The table below is one way to map that first year. Your clinic may move a visit by a week or two. Follow the plan they write down.

📋 In This Guide

The Puppy Vaccine Schedule for the First Year#

This is the first-year schedule owners usually ask about: what happens around 6 to 8 weeks, 10 to 12 weeks, 14 to 16 weeks, and at the visits after that. The ages are an example of the AAHA series (at least three combination doses, 2 to 4 weeks apart, with the last dose at about 16 weeks or later) and the WSAVA series (every 3 to 4 weeks until 16 weeks or older).

Age	Core vaccines	Non-core vaccines	Notes
6 to 8 weeks	First combination dose: distemper, adenovirus, parvovirus, often with parainfluenza	Bordetella, if the puppy will be around other dogs	AAHA counts this toward at least three doses between 6 and 16 weeks. WSAVA says not to start earlier than 6 weeks.
10 to 12 weeks	Combination booster. First leptospirosis dose at 12 weeks or later	Lyme disease or dog flu, if your vet recommends them	Leptospirosis is core. See below. Do not skip it because the puppy is small or lives in a city.
14 to 16 weeks or older	Combination dose. Second leptospirosis dose, 2 to 4 weeks after the first. Rabies when the label and local law allow	Second Lyme or flu dose, 2 to 4 weeks after the first, if those were started	WSAVA treats the dose at 16 weeks or older as the important one. In a high-risk area, WSAVA may continue the combination series to 20 weeks.
After the puppy series	Combination booster, rabies booster, leptospirosis booster	Lifestyle boosters your vet recommends	AAHA and WSAVA do not use the same gap. See the booster section.

The first visit is also a good time to set up a puppy deworming schedule. Treat the table as a guide. The product label and your vet’s plan decide the exact week.

Core vs. Non-Core Vaccines Explained#

AAHA splits vaccines into two groups. Core vaccines are recommended for every dog, no matter the lifestyle, unless there is a medical reason not to vaccinate. Non-core vaccines are for some dogs, based on lifestyle, location, and exposure. In a place where a non-core disease is common, a clinic may treat that vaccine as core for its patients.

Core Vaccines#

AAHA’s core list is distemper, adenovirus, parvovirus, with or without parainfluenza, plus leptospirosis and rabies.

• Parvovirus: A tough gut virus. Signs include severe, often bloody diarrhea, vomiting, lethargy, and dehydration. It can survive in the environment for months, and in the right conditions for up to a year (Cornell, AVMA).
• Distemper: A serious virus that can affect the respiratory system, the gut, and the nervous system. Puppies younger than four months, and dogs that have not been vaccinated, are at particular risk (AVMA distemper page).
• Adenovirus (hepatitis): Part of the same combination shot. VCA lists adenovirus-2 with the core vaccines AAHA recommends for every puppy.
• Parainfluenza: Often included in that combination. VCA treats it as core when it is given that way. AAHA marks it as “+/-” on the core combination, and also lists a separate parainfluenza product with Bordetella as non-core.
• Rabies: A fatal disease that people can catch. Where the law does not already require it, AAHA still recommends it as core. Licensed dog rabies vaccines are labeled for puppies 3 months (12 weeks) of age and older. A booster is due 1 year after the first dose, whatever the puppy’s age was at that first shot. Later boosters follow the product label (1-year or 3-year) and local law (AAHA rabies page). WSAVA says the same thing in places where rabies is present: follow local law first, and in some countries the first dose is generally not given before 12 weeks.
• Leptospirosis: Bacteria spread most often in the urine of infected animals, especially wild rodents. Dogs pick it up from urine or from water and soil contaminated with urine, including ponds, standing water, and damp soil. People can catch it too. The AVMA says every dog is at risk, including city dogs, and that experts recommend vaccinating all dogs. In 2024, AAHA updated its dog vaccine guidelines to list a four-serovar leptospirosis vaccine as core for all dogs. The chart uses two doses, 2 to 4 weeks apart, starting at 12 weeks of age, then a dose within 1 year of the last dose in that series, then every year. AVMA describes the series as two doses, often about 4 weeks apart, which can start at 12 weeks or later, then yearly boosters. WSAVA also says to treat leptospirosis as core where the disease occurs, the relevant strains are known, and a suitable vaccine is sold. WSAVA’s start is often from 8 weeks and says to follow the product leaflet, with the second dose 2 to 4 weeks later. This page follows the AAHA timing: start at 12 weeks.

Non-Core Vaccines#

These are the optional shots on the AAHA chart. Your vet matches them to where you live and how the puppy spends the day.

• Bordetella (kennel cough): For dogs with an exposure risk. Kennel cough spreads quickly among dogs housed together, including daycare and boarding kennels, and puppies are more likely to get severely ill (Merck Veterinary Manual). AAHA lists a single intranasal dose for dogs at risk, or two injected doses 2 to 4 weeks apart, then yearly boosters.
• Lyme disease: For dogs in areas where Lyme disease is common. AAHA uses two doses, 2 to 4 weeks apart, a dose within 1 year, then yearly boosters. A clinic in an endemic area may treat it as core for its own patients.
• Dog influenza: For dogs whose lifestyle raises exposure, such as frequent group settings. AAHA uses two doses, 2 to 4 weeks apart, then a dose within 1 year and yearly boosters.

⚠️ Safety Warning: Until the first vaccine series is finished, be careful where other dogs gather. That includes pet shops, parks, puppy classes, day care, kennels, and groomers (AVMA parvovirus, AVMA distemper). Cornell says to avoid dog parks and pet stores while a dog is unvaccinated or still a puppy. VCA says a dose usually needs about 10 to 14 days to build a useful level of protection, and that maternal antibodies can block that protection until later in the series. Finish the course before the puppy has close contact with dogs whose vaccines you do not know.

Boosters After the Puppy Series#

The old “one visit at 12 to 16 months and you are done” line is too simple. Read it as two different instructions.

• Combination shot (distemper, adenovirus, parvovirus): AAHA and the AVMA say to give one booster within 1 year after the last dose of the puppy series, then about every 3 years. WSAVA says to consider that next dose at about 6 months of age (26 weeks), rather than waiting until 12 to 16 months, so a puppy who still had maternal antibodies at 16 weeks is not left unprotected. After that, WSAVA says to revaccinate at 3 years of age and then no more often than every 3 years. Ask which of those two clocks your clinic uses.
• Rabies: One year after the first dose, then on the schedule printed on that vaccine and required by local law (AAHA rabies page).
• Leptospirosis: A dose within 1 year of the second puppy dose, then every year (AAHA). If that yearly gap is missed, WSAVA says to start the two-dose series again.

When Puppies Can Go Outside#

A private yard that unknown dogs cannot enter is the lower-risk place for outdoor time while shots are still in progress. It is not a guarantee. Parvovirus can persist in soil, and wildlife urine is a leptospirosis risk even in a backyard (Cornell, AVMA leptospirosis). Ask your vet about local risk before you treat the yard as cleared.

Public ground is different. Skip dog parks, pet-store floors, and grass that other dogs use until the series is complete (AVMA socialization review, Cornell). Carry the puppy in those places. VCA’s 10 to 14 day note is about how long one dose usually takes to help. It is not a date that makes parks safe if the puppy still has doses left.

Balancing Socialization and Disease Prevention#

The vaccine series and the social window overlap. The AVMA socialization review says puppies are most responsive to unfamiliar dogs from about 3 to 14 weeks. If they are kept from new places until after 14 weeks, they may stay fearful later. Brains and behavior keep developing through at least 20 weeks.

Before the series is finished, keep new experiences in places unknown dogs have not used. Indoor puppy classes can start close to 8 weeks when the class is well run, the puppy has had a first vaccine, and the puppy is well. Play with healthy, vaccinated dogs you know is the other common option. WSAVA says careful socialization can start before the series is done, and that the risk of parvovirus from early classes is low.

You can also work on manners at home. The puppy supply checklist covers a leash and rewards so you are not walking the puppy through a pet store to buy them.

At the clinic, a lick mat gives the puppy a job. Spreading peanut butter or wet food on the LickiMat Classic Dog Lick Mat keeps many puppies busy while staff give injections and check paws.

Pair the vaccine visits with a predictable puppy feeding schedule by age. Regular meals also make it easier to potty train a puppy in your own yard.

What to Expect After Puppy Shots#

VCA’s after-vaccination guide lists mild effects that sometimes follow a shot:

• Less activity
• A smaller appetite
• A low-grade fever
• Redness, mild swelling, or tenderness at the spot
• A small, firm lump at the spot

Call the clinic if the mild signs last more than 24 hours or the puppy seems very uncomfortable. The lump should start to shrink and be gone within 14 days. Call if it lasts longer than 3 weeks, grows, or becomes more painful. VCA’s vaccine overview says being quiet or off food for a day or two can happen. Use the after-visit guide’s 24-hour call rule if you are unsure.

Go to an emergency hospital for collapse, trouble breathing, hives, a puffy face, or vomiting or diarrhea that will not stop. Those can show up within minutes to hours (VCA). For other worries, the signs of a sick puppy page lists what Merck treats as same-day versus immediate.

💡 Related Guide: Balance disease safety with early social exposure by learning how to socialize a puppy before vaccines.

💡 Pro Tip: Ask about a microchip at an early visit, and pair it with a collar ID tag before you start any off-leash recall work.

Frequently Asked Questions#

Why does my puppy need several rounds of the same vaccine?#

Antibodies from the mother can cancel a vaccine while they are still in the blood, and there is no practical way to know the week they drop. Repeating the combination shot every 2 to 4 weeks, with the last dose at 16 weeks or older, gives a dose that lands after those antibodies fade (AVMA, WSAVA).

Can I skip vaccines if my puppy stays indoors?#

No. AAHA recommends core vaccines for every dog, whatever the lifestyle, unless there is a medical reason not to vaccinate. Parvovirus can survive in the environment for up to a year in the right conditions, so it can spread without any known contact with another dog (AVMA, Cornell). Rabies is required by law in many places even for a dog that never goes out (AAHA rabies page).

When do puppies get the rabies shot?#

The first rabies vaccine is labeled for puppies 12 weeks (3 months) and older. Clinics often give it at 12 to 16 weeks, and local law can set the deadline (AAHA, VCA). The next dose is 1 year later. After that, the interval is the one on the label and in your local rules, which may be 1 year or 3 years.

What happens if my puppy misses a booster window?#

Call the clinic and do not try to restart the math yourself. If the combination series stopped before a dose at 16 weeks or older, that later dose still matters (WSAVA, AVMA). For overdue or unknown vaccines, AAHA’s rule of thumb is: when in doubt, vaccinate, and check the product instructions. If a leptospirosis series is allowed to lapse, WSAVA says to start those two doses again. Rabies follow-ups follow local law (AAHA chart).

When can my puppy go outside?#

Use your own yard, with your vet’s local advice, while the series is underway. Avoid dog parks, pet stores, and public grass other dogs use until the series is finished (AVMA socialization review, Cornell). Carry the puppy in busy public places. Close contact with dogs of unknown vaccine history waits until the full course is done (VCA).

Do certain breeds require different shot schedules?#

The standard series applies across breeds. The AVMA does list some breeds as being at greater risk of parvovirus, including Rottweilers and Doberman Pinschers. VCA notes that some Rottweiler puppies have developed parvovirus even after vaccination. Ask your vet whether breed or local risk should add a later dose. Do not invent a separate schedule on your own.

Action Plan: Protecting Your Puppy’s Early Health#

1. Book the first exam early: Schedule a clinic visit in the first week home and bring every shelter or breeder record.
2. Set the next dates: Map the visits about 2 to 4 weeks apart so the combination series includes a dose at 16 weeks or older.
3. Socialize with limits: New people, sounds, and surfaces at home, plus healthy vaccinated dogs you know. Indoor classes only if they meet the AVMA points above.
4. Keep public ground off limits: Carry the puppy where other dogs walk until the series is finished and your vet agrees the timing is right.
5. Keep the records: Save a paper copy and a digital copy of every vaccine, with the date given, the vaccine type, and the next due date. Boarding kennels, groomers, and travel ask for them.