Enter your puppy's birth date to get a dated list of vet visits: the core DAPP series every 2–4 weeks until 16 weeks, rabies, optional lifestyle vaccines such as leptospirosis and kennel cough, and the first yearly boosters. Save it to your calendar and confirm the plan with your vet.
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Vet visit schedule
Confirm with your veterinarian. This plan follows the general AAHA canine vaccination guidelines for healthy puppies. Your vet will adjust the timing and products to your puppy's health, the vaccines used, local disease risk and rabies law in your state. Until the puppy series is complete, avoid places where many unknown dogs go, such as dog parks and pet store floors. Nothing you enter leaves your device.
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How to use the Puppy Vaccination Schedule
Enter the birth date (and a name if you like).
Set when the first DAPP shot was or will be given, and the gap between boosters your vet uses.
Tick the lifestyle vaccines that fit where your puppy will live and go.
Review the dated visits: past ones are greyed out and the next one is highlighted.
Download the calendar file or print the list and take it to your vet to confirm.
Typical puppy vaccine timeline
Age
Core vaccines
Common lifestyle (non-core) vaccines
6–8 weeks
DAPP #1
Bordetella (intranasal or oral) for social puppies
9–12 weeks
DAPP #2
Influenza #1, Lyme #1, Leptospirosis #1 (often at 12 weeks)
12–16 weeks
DAPP #3, rabies
Second doses of leptospirosis, influenza or Lyme
16 weeks or older
Final DAPP
Any remaining second doses
About 1 year later
DAPP and rabies boosters
Yearly boosters of chosen lifestyle vaccines
Adult
DAPP every 3 years; rabies every 1–3 years by law and product
Yearly
This reflects the general approach in the AAHA Canine Vaccination Guidelines (2022 update). Exact timing depends on the vaccines your vet uses.
How the schedule is built
DAPP: the first dose is at the age you choose, then every 2, 3 or 4 weeks until a dose falls at 16 weeks or later. With the default (8 weeks, every 3 weeks) that is 8, 11, 14 and 17 weeks.
Rabies: placed at the last puppy visit between 12 and 16 weeks, or at 16 weeks.
Two-dose lifestyle vaccines are placed on existing visits where possible, 2–4 weeks apart, so you make fewer trips.
First yearly visit: set when the earliest 1-year booster comes due, so nothing runs over.
Tips for a healthy start
Bring any vaccine and deworming records from the breeder or shelter to the first visit.
Ask about deworming, heartworm prevention and flea and tick control at the same visits.
Puppy classes that require proof of the first vaccines are a good way to socialize safely before the series is complete.
Mild tiredness or a sore spot after a shot is common; call your vet about facial swelling, hives, vomiting or trouble breathing.
Frequently asked questions
What shots do puppies need and when?
The core vaccines for every puppy are DAPP (distemper, adenovirus, parvovirus and usually parainfluenza) and rabies. AAHA guidelines start DAPP at 6–8 weeks and repeat it every 2–4 weeks until the puppy is at least 16 weeks old, give rabies once at 12–16 weeks, and boost both about a year later.
Why do puppies need several rounds of the same shot?
Antibodies from the mother's milk can block a vaccine, and they fade at different ages in different puppies, sometimes not until 16 weeks or later. Repeating DAPP every 2–4 weeks until at least 16 weeks makes sure one dose works after those antibodies are gone.
When is my puppy fully protected?
Count on protection about 1–2 weeks after the final DAPP dose given at 16 weeks or older. Until then, avoid dog parks, pet store floors and places where unknown dogs have been, while still socializing safely with healthy, vaccinated dogs.
What are non-core puppy vaccines?
Lifestyle vaccines are given based on risk: leptospirosis (water, wildlife and rodents; widely recommended in North America), Bordetella for kennel cough (daycare, boarding, grooming), canine influenza (boarding, shows, outbreak areas) and Lyme disease (tick-heavy regions). Most need two initial doses 2–4 weeks apart, then a yearly booster.
What if my puppy is older than 16 weeks and hasn't had shots?
Choose '16 weeks or older' as the first shot age. A puppy starting this late usually gets two DAPP doses a few weeks apart plus rabies; your vet will confirm the exact plan.
How often do adult dogs need vaccines?
After the 1-year boosters, DAPP is usually given every 3 years, rabies every 1 or 3 years depending on the vaccine and state law, and lifestyle vaccines such as leptospirosis, Bordetella, influenza and Lyme every year.
Can I use this instead of my vet's plan?
No. It's a planning aid based on general guidelines for healthy puppies. Your veterinarian chooses the products and timing for your puppy's health, breed, local disease risks and the rabies law where you live.
Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?
Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.