Your Complete Puppy Vaccination Schedule Explained
Omelo Vet Team
Omelo Vet · Omelo Vet
Vaccinating your puppy is one of the most impactful things you can do for their long-term health. Vaccines prevent diseases that were once common killers - parvovirus, distemper, and rabies - and protect the wider dog population through herd immunity.
**Why do puppies need multiple doses?**
This is a question every new puppy owner asks. The answer lies in maternal antibodies. When a puppy nurses, it receives antibodies from its mother's colostrum (first milk). These maternal antibodies provide temporary protection in the first weeks of life, but they also interfere with vaccine responses - essentially neutralising the vaccine before the puppy's own immune system can respond.
The problem is that maternal antibody levels vary between individual puppies and decline at different rates. A single vaccine at 8 weeks may not work in a puppy whose maternal antibodies don't wane until 12 weeks. A single vaccine at 16 weeks will work but leaves a gap in protection from 8–16 weeks. Giving a series of vaccines every 3–4 weeks maximises the chance that at least one dose is given at a time when maternal antibodies are low enough to allow a response.
Core vaccines
(recommended for all puppies regardless of lifestyle):
- **Canine Parvovirus (CPV-2)**: Highly contagious, causes severe vomiting and bloody diarrhoea. Can be fatal, especially in young puppies. Survives in the environment for months to years.
- **Canine Adenovirus Type 2 (CAV-2)**: Protects against infectious canine hepatitis (caused by CAV-1) and respiratory disease. Also called hepatitis vaccine.
- **Rabies**: Required by law in most jurisdictions. Fatal once symptomatic. First dose typically at 12–16 weeks, booster at 1 year, then every 1–3 years depending on local regulations.
These four are often combined in a single injection: the DA2PP (or DHPP) vaccine.
Typical puppy vaccination schedule
: - 6–8 weeks: First DA2PP (from breeder or shelter) - 10–12 weeks: Second DA2PP - 14–16 weeks: Third DA2PP + Rabies - 12–16 months: Booster DA2PP + Rabies - Every 1–3 years thereafter (titre testing may be used in some cases)
Non-core vaccines
(recommended based on lifestyle and geographic risk): - **Bordetella bronchiseptica** ('kennel cough'): For dogs that attend daycare, boarding, dog parks, or training classes - **Leptospirosis**: Spread via wildlife urine and contaminated water. Recommended in endemic areas and for dogs with outdoor exposure - **Lyme disease**: Recommended in tick-endemic regions - **Canine influenza (CIV H3N2/H3N8)**: For dogs in high-exposure environments
Need personalised advice for your pet?
This article provides general guidance. For advice specific to your pet's breed, age, weight, and health history - speak directly with a licensed vet via video call.
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