What is the puppy vaccination schedule?
Start a puppy's core vaccines (distemper, adenovirus, parvovirus) at 6–8 weeks, repeat every 2–4 weeks until 16 weeks or older, give a booster at 26 weeks or 1 year, then no more often than every 3 years, as the WSAVA Vaccination Guidelines recommend. In India rabies is also core: first dose at 12 weeks or older, then boosters as local rules say (commonly yearly). Leptospirosis is recommended where the disease is common, as in much of India, and is given yearly.
Puppy vaccination schedule by age
Core vaccines protect every dog against distemper (CDV), canine adenovirus (CAV-2, which also protects against infectious hepatitis) and parvovirus (CPV-2). The schedule below is the WSAVA timing with what vets in India commonly add.
| Age | Core vaccines (WSAVA) | Also given in India |
|---|---|---|
| 6–8 weeks | 1st dose: distemper, adenovirus, parvovirus; usually one combination shot (often with parainfluenza) | Leptospirosis: 1st dose from 8 weeks, if your vet recommends it (often part of a DHPPi+L shot) |
| 10–12 weeks | 2nd dose: distemper, adenovirus, parvovirus (2–4 weeks after the first) | Leptospirosis: 2nd dose, 2–4 weeks after the first. Rabies: 1st dose at 12 weeks or older |
| 14–16 weeks | Last puppy dose: distemper, adenovirus, parvovirus, given at 16 weeks or older | Rabies: 1st dose now if it was not given at 12 weeks |
| 26 weeks (6 months) or 1 year | Booster: distemper, adenovirus, parvovirus | Rabies booster as your vet and local rules advise; leptospirosis booster at 1 year |
| Adult | Distemper, adenovirus, parvovirus: no more often than every 3 years | Rabies: as local rules say, commonly every year in India; leptospirosis every year |
Schedules vary. Follow your vet. This schedule summarises the WSAVA Vaccination Guidelines (World Small Animal Veterinary Association) and common practice in India. It is general information, not veterinary advice: vaccine products, local disease risk and your pet's health all change the schedule. Follow the plan your vet gives you.
Why the timing matters
Antibodies from the mother's milk can stop early doses working, and they fade at different ages in different puppies. That is why the doses repeat every 2–4 weeks until 16 weeks or older, and why the 26-week or 1-year booster matters.
Source: WSAVA Vaccination Guidelines. Content updated 13 October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
When should a puppy get its first vaccination?
Most puppies get their first core vaccine (distemper, adenovirus and parvovirus) at 6 to 8 weeks of age, then repeat doses every 2 to 4 weeks until they are 16 weeks or older, as the WSAVA Vaccination Guidelines recommend.
Why does a puppy need several doses?
Antibodies a puppy gets from its mother's milk can block a vaccine for the first weeks of life, and the age at which they fade differs between puppies. Repeating the dose until 16 weeks or older makes sure at least one dose works.
When can a puppy get the rabies vaccine in India?
The first rabies dose is given at 12 weeks (3 months) or older. Boosters follow your vet's advice and local rules, commonly every year in India. Rabies is endemic in India and almost always fatal, and many municipal pet registrations ask for proof of rabies vaccination.
Does my dog need vaccines every year?
Not all of them. After the 1-year booster, the WSAVA Vaccination Guidelines advise core vaccines (distemper, adenovirus, parvovirus) no more often than every 3 years. Leptospirosis protection is short-lived, so it is given every year, and rabies follows local rules, commonly yearly in India.
What is leptospirosis and does my puppy need it?
Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease spread through the urine of infected animals, especially rats, and through standing water, and it can pass to people. The WSAVA Vaccination Guidelines recommend it wherever leptospirosis is common, which includes much of India, especially areas with flooding or monsoon waterlogging: two doses 2 to 4 weeks apart from 8 weeks of age, then once a year. Ask your vet.
When can my puppy go outside and meet other dogs?
Ask your vet. Puppies are usually protected about two weeks after the last puppy dose (at 16 weeks or older). Until then, avoid places unknown dogs use, such as parks and streets, but keep socialising your puppy with healthy, vaccinated dogs.
Where can I get my puppy vaccinated?
Pets24x7 lists 558 veterinary clinics in India. Open your city's vet page on Pets24x7, compare Google ratings and send an enquiry; Pets24x7 checks availability and price on WhatsApp. There is no booking fee.