Puppy Vaccinations: All You Need to Know

So, you’ve brought a new puppy or home (or are in the process of it) and are wondering: what vaccines does my puppy need?

In this article, we help you understand the basics of your puppy’s vaccination schedule, what questions to ask the kennel or rescue at the time of adoption, and more.

The Importance of Vaccinations (Especially for Puppies)

Vaccines protect your puppy from life-threatening viruses and illnesses, helping your companion live a long, healthy life.

Vaccinations are especially important in young puppies whose immune system is still developing. Puppies are more so at risk of catching diseases, and vaccines stimulate your puppy’s immune system to help her fight against diseases by producing antibodies.

Core and Non-Core Vaccines

Vets administer two types of vaccines to puppies: core and non-core vaccines.

Core vaccines are essential for all puppies and protect against diseases with high death rates, including rabies, canine distemper, canine parvovirus, and canine hepatitis.  

Non-core vaccines are chosen by your veterinarian to be administer, based on your puppy’s lifestyle, risk, factors, and area-specific diseases (such as for travel).

The Vaccination Schedule

A puppy’s vaccination schedule typically spans to around 4-6 months of age. The specific timeline varies by the specific vaccines and your veterinarian’s recommendation.

The following is a typical schedule for vaccine administration:

6 to 8 weeks: The first round of vaccinations usually including canine distemper, canine parvovirus, and canine hepatitis. The first deworming treatment can also happen here.

10 to 12 weeks: The second round of shots to reinforce the puppy’s immunity with a further boost. Additional non-core vaccines may be given here, too.

14 to 16 weeks: This is the final round of vaccines, and is key to make sure that your puppy’s immunity boost is completed.

Additional Rabies Vaccine: Between 12 and 16 weeks of age, your veterinarian may also administer a Rabies vaccine for your puppy.

Are Puppies from Breeders Vaccinated?

Breeders are required to keep puppies with their moms until 8 weeks of age. Starting from 3-4 weeks, some puppies can be weaned from their mothers, but this can also take until 7-8 weeks of age. 

With that in mind, puppies from all reputable kennels should go to their new homes vaccinated. This is a requirement here with all breeders at Mawoo Pets. 

Some breeders keep their puppies until 10 weeks of age, and so they may administer the second round of shots as well. 

However, keep in mind that your puppy arrives home, he or she may not be fully vaccinated yet. So it's important to take the vaccination paperwork from the breeder to your veterinarian to understand what additional vaccines are requires.

Boosters and Adult Vaccinations

After completing the initially puppy vaccinations, dogs typically receive period boosters annually to maintain their body’s immunity. The exact requirements vary by dog and is best sought from your veterinarian.

Additionally, your dog may require specific vaccines if you’re traveling abroad. So it’s best to check on those requirements with your veterinarian before you plan international travel.