How Often Should You Vaccinate Your Dog? A Complete Schedule

Why Vaccination Matters

Vaccines are one of the most effective tools we have for keeping dogs healthy. They work by training the immune system to recognize and fight specific diseases before your dog ever encounters them in the real world. Without vaccination, dogs are vulnerable to serious illnesses like parvovirus, distemper, and rabies, some of which are fatal and all of which are preventable.

Understanding the schedule can feel confusing, especially for first-time dog owners. The good news is that it follows a fairly predictable pattern, and your vet will tailor it to your dog's specific needs.

Core vs. Non-Core Vaccines

Veterinarians group dog vaccines into two categories:

Core vaccines are recommended for every dog regardless of lifestyle or location. These protect against diseases that are widespread, highly contagious, or dangerous to humans:

• Rabies -- legally required in many jurisdictions; nearly always fatal once symptoms appear
• DHPP (Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, Parvovirus) -- a combination vaccine protecting against four serious diseases (AAHA lists parainfluenza as optional in the core combination)
• Leptospirosis -- moved from non-core to core in AAHA's canine vaccination guidelines, which now recommend it for all dogs

Non-core vaccines are recommended based on your dog's lifestyle, environment, and risk factors:

• Bordetella (kennel cough) -- recommended if your dog visits boarding facilities, dog parks, or grooming salons
• Lyme disease -- recommended in tick-heavy regions
• Canine influenza -- not recommended routinely; your vet may suggest it for dogs with high social exposure when the virus is circulating

Puppy Vaccination Schedule

Puppies receive antibodies from their mother's milk, but this natural protection fades over the first few months of life, and can persist for 13-15 weeks or longer -- long enough to block an early vaccine dose. That's why puppies need a series of vaccines given every 2-4 weeks until they are older than 16 weeks to build their own immunity.

Age	Vaccine	Notes
6-8 weeks	DHPP (1st dose)	Start of the core series
10-12 weeks	DHPP (2nd dose), Leptospirosis (1st dose, from 12 weeks), Bordetella	Add non-core based on lifestyle
14-16 weeks	DHPP (3rd dose), Leptospirosis (2nd dose), Rabies	Rabies vaccines are labeled from 3 months
16-20 weeks	DHPP (final dose)	The last DHPP dose must come after 16 weeks; 18-20 weeks is preferred where parvo is common
Within 1 year of the last puppy dose	DHPP booster, Leptospirosis booster, Rabies booster	Completes the puppy series

Adult Dog Vaccination Schedule

Once your dog has completed their puppy series, vaccinations move to a maintenance schedule:

Vaccine	Frequency	Notes
Rabies	Every 1-3 years	Depends on local law and vaccine type
DHPP	Every 3 years	After the 1-year booster
Leptospirosis	Annually	Core in AAHA's current guidelines
Bordetella	Annually	If your dog is socially active; your vet may advise more often for high-risk dogs, such as before boarding
Lyme disease	Annually	If in tick-endemic areas
Canine influenza	Annually	If recommended by your vet

Your vet may adjust this schedule based on your dog's age, health status, and local disease prevalence. Older dogs or those with chronic health conditions may need a modified approach.

What About Titer Testing?

Titer testing is a blood test that measures your dog's existing antibody levels for specific diseases. Some owners use titer tests to determine whether a booster is truly needed rather than vaccinating on a fixed schedule, though AAHA notes that a titer is not necessarily indicative of protection.

Titer testing is most commonly available for:

• Distemper
• Parvovirus
• Rabies (though titers are not a substitute for rabies vaccination, which is legally required in many places)

Talk to your vet about whether titer testing makes sense for your dog. AAHA reserves routine titer testing mainly for dogs with a history of vaccine reactions or similar concerns.

Common Side Effects

Most dogs tolerate vaccines well, but mild side effects can occur:

• Mild lethargy or reduced appetite, usually short-lived
• Slight swelling or tenderness at the injection site
• Low-grade fever

These are normal and typically go away within 24 hours. Contact your vet if they last more than a day or two, or immediately if you notice facial swelling, hives, severe coughing, persistent vomiting, or collapse, as these can indicate a rare allergic reaction.

Keeping Track of It All

Between puppy series boosters, annual non-core vaccines, and three-year core vaccine cycles, it's easy to lose track of what's due and when. A missed booster can leave gaps in your dog's protection, and an unnecessary extra dose means a trip to the vet you didn't need.

Pawey's health records are built for exactly this. Log each vaccine with its date and next-due date, and Pawey shows whether it is still valid, due soon or overdue, and flags it on the Home screen as the due date approaches. Book the booster visit as an appointment, and the app reminds you before it. No more digging through paperwork or trying to remember whether that last DHPP was two years ago or three.