A typical puppy vaccination schedule starts with a combination shot for distemper, adenovirus and parvovirus at 6 to 8 weeks, repeated every 2 to 4 weeks until at least 16 weeks. Rabies is given once as state law requires, usually at 12 to 16 weeks, and leptospirosis takes two doses from 12 weeks. Boosters follow a year later.
Quick takeaways
- The core puppy series is at least three combination shots between 6 and 16 weeks, given 2 to 4 weeks apart.
- The last puppy dose should be given at 16 weeks or later, because maternal antibodies can block earlier doses.
- Rabies is required by law in most US states. Your vet will follow your state’s rules on timing.
- AAHA now lists leptospirosis as a core vaccine: two doses, 2 to 4 weeks apart, starting at 12 weeks.
- Bordetella, canine influenza and Lyme vaccines depend on where you live and what your puppy will do.
In this guide
- Why puppies need a series of shots
- What is the puppy schedule for shots?
- Core vaccines every puppy needs
- Lifestyle vaccines: which ones your puppy might need
- How much are puppy vaccination shots?
- Vaccines, deworming and parasite prevention
- Getting ready for the first vet visit
- After the shots: what’s normal
- Frequently asked questions
Vaccines are one of the first things you will sort out with a new puppy, and the schedule can look confusing at first. The good news is that it follows a clear pattern. This guide is based on the 2022 AAHA Canine Vaccination Guidelines, which most US vets use as a reference. Your vet will adjust the plan to your puppy’s health, history and where you live.
Why puppies need a series of shots
Newborn puppies get antibodies from their mother’s milk. Those maternal antibodies protect them early on, but they also block vaccines from working. They fade at different rates in different puppies, somewhere between about 6 and 16 weeks or later, and there is no simple way to know exactly when.
That is why puppies get a series of doses a few weeks apart instead of one shot. Each dose is a chance to “take” as soon as the mother’s antibodies drop. The final dose at 16 weeks or older is the one most likely to work for nearly every puppy.
What is the puppy schedule for shots?
Here is a typical puppy vaccination schedule by age. Your vet may use slightly different weeks depending on the products they stock and your puppy’s start date.
| Age | Core vaccines | Often added, depending on risk |
|---|---|---|
| 6 to 8 weeks | Distemper, adenovirus, parvovirus (DAPP), with or without parainfluenza | Bordetella (kennel cough), if your puppy will be around other dogs |
| 10 to 12 weeks | DAPP booster | Canine influenza dose 1, Lyme dose 1 in areas where it is common |
| 12 to 16 weeks | DAPP booster, rabies (timing set by state law), leptospirosis dose 1 at 12 weeks or later | Canine influenza dose 2 |
| 14 to 16 weeks | Leptospirosis dose 2 | Lyme dose 2 |
| 16 weeks or older | Final DAPP dose | |
| About 1 year after the series | DAPP booster, leptospirosis booster, rabies booster | Boosters for any lifestyle vaccines |
| Adult years | DAPP every 3 years, leptospirosis every year, rabies every 1 or 3 years by law and product | Bordetella, influenza and Lyme yearly if still needed |
Puppies that start late, after 16 weeks, usually get two doses of the combination vaccine 2 to 4 weeks apart instead of the full puppy series.
Core vaccines every puppy needs
Core vaccines protect against diseases that are serious, widespread or a risk to people. AAHA recommends them for all dogs unless a vet finds a medical reason not to.
Distemper, adenovirus and parvovirus (DAPP)
This is the combination shot most people mean by “puppy shots.” Some versions also include parainfluenza (DA2PP or DHPP).
- Canine distemper affects the lungs, gut and nervous system and is often fatal.
- Canine adenovirus type 2 in the vaccine also protects against infectious canine hepatitis.
- Canine parvovirus causes severe vomiting and bloody diarrhea, and puppies are hit hardest. It survives in the environment for a long time, which is why unvaccinated puppies should stay away from places many dogs use. Our guide to parvo symptoms in puppies explains the warning signs.
AAHA’s schedule is at least three doses between 6 and 16 weeks, 2 to 4 weeks apart, then a booster within a year and every 3 years after that.
Rabies
Rabies is fatal and can spread to people, so vaccination is required by law in most states. The age for the first dose and the booster rules come from state and local law, so your vet will follow those. Many puppies get the first dose somewhere between 12 and 16 weeks. Keep the rabies certificate in a safe place, because groomers, boarding kennels and some landlords ask for it.
Leptospirosis
Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease spread through the urine of infected animals, often in puddles, ponds and wet soil. It can damage the kidneys and liver, and people can catch it too. AAHA’s guidelines were updated in 2024 to list it as a core vaccine for all dogs. Puppies get two doses 2 to 4 weeks apart, starting at 12 weeks or later, then a yearly booster.
Lifestyle vaccines: which ones your puppy might need
These are called noncore vaccines. Whether your puppy needs them depends on where you live, where they will go and who they will meet.
- Bordetella and parainfluenza (kennel cough): recommended for puppies who will go to training classes, daycare, boarding or grooming. It comes as a nasal drop, an oral dose or an injection.
- Canine influenza (H3N8/H3N2): two doses 2 to 4 weeks apart, then yearly. Often required by boarding facilities.
- Lyme disease: two doses 2 to 4 weeks apart, then yearly, for dogs in areas where Lyme disease is common, such as the Northeast and upper Midwest. It does not replace tick prevention.
Tell your vet about travel plans, hiking, daycare and dog shows so they can pick what fits.
How much are puppy vaccination shots?
Prices vary a lot by region and clinic, so we won’t give a single number. A few things affect the total:
- The number of visits. Most puppies need three or four visits between 6 and 16 weeks.
- What is included. Many clinics bundle the exam, vaccines, deworming and a stool test into a puppy package.
- Lifestyle vaccines. Each one added means extra cost.
- Where you go. Shelters, humane societies and some county programs run lower-cost vaccine clinics, and many offer low-cost rabies clinics.
Ask for an itemized estimate for the whole series at the first visit so you can plan. Some pet insurance wellness add-ons cover vaccines, but standard accident and illness policies usually don’t.
Vaccines, deworming and parasite prevention
Vaccine visits are also when your vet handles parasites. The Companion Animal Parasite Council recommends deworming puppies every two weeks from 2 weeks old until 8 weeks, then starting monthly preventives that cover heartworm and intestinal worms. Flea and tick products have minimum ages and weights, so check with your vet before using any. Our puppy deworming schedule and flea treatment age guide cover those in detail.
Getting ready for the first vet visit
Bring any paperwork from the breeder or shelter showing which vaccines and dewormers your puppy already had, with dates. A fresh stool sample is also useful. See our first vet visit checklist for what to ask.
Until the series is finished:
- Carry your puppy in busy public places rather than letting them walk on the ground.
- Skip dog parks and pet store floors.
- Arrange playdates only with healthy, fully vaccinated adult dogs you know.
- Join a puppy class that asks for vaccine records and cleans floors between sessions.
Socialization still matters during this time, so safe outings are worth the effort.
After the shots: what’s normal
Most puppies are a bit sleepy for a day after vaccines, and the injection spot may be tender or have a small lump that fades within a few weeks. A light meal and a quiet evening are fine. Call your vet if a lump keeps growing or lasts more than a few weeks, and get urgent help for facial swelling, hives, repeated vomiting, trouble breathing or collapse. Feeding times can stay the same on vaccine days. Our puppy feeding schedule has meal times by age.
Frequently asked questions
When can my puppy go outside after vaccinations?
Your puppy can go into your own yard and be carried to safe places from the start. Most vets suggest waiting until about one to two weeks after the final puppy shot before visiting dog parks, pet store floors or other places where many unknown dogs go. Ask your vet what fits your area.
What happens if my puppy misses a vaccine?
Call your vet and book the next dose as soon as you can. If the gap is long, your vet may restart part of the series. Keep your puppy away from high-risk places until the schedule is back on track.
Are side effects from puppy shots common?
Mild tiredness, a sore spot or a small lump at the injection site for a day or two is common. Call your vet right away for facial swelling, hives, repeated vomiting, trouble breathing or collapse, which can be signs of an allergic reaction.
Does my puppy need shots if it stays indoors?
Yes for the core vaccines. Parvovirus can come in on shoes, and rabies vaccination is required by law in most states whether or not your dog goes outside. Indoor puppies may need fewer of the lifestyle vaccines.
Vet note: This article is general information and is not a substitute for advice from your own veterinarian. If your puppy is having trouble breathing, collapses, has a seizure or may have eaten something toxic, call your vet or the nearest emergency animal hospital right away. ASPCA Animal Poison Control: 888-426-4435 (a fee may apply).
