Dog vaccinations schedule
Vaccinations are one of the simplest things you can do to keep your dog healthy — but the schedule can look confusing on paper. Here's what your dog needs and when, from their first puppy jab through to their yearly boosters.
A quick note before we start: the exact timing, and which vaccines your dog needs, depends on their age, lifestyle and where you live. Your vet will tailor the plan to your dog. Use this as a guide to what to expect.
Puppy: the primary course
Your puppy's first vaccinations build the immunity that protects them through the rest of their life. The core course is two main vaccines given two weeks apart, followed by a leptospirosis dose to finish the course.
1st vaccination — from 8 weeks (often given by the breeder): DHPPi + Leptospirosis. DHPPi covers distemper, hepatitis (adenovirus), parvovirus and parainfluenza.
2nd vaccination — 2 weeks later: DHPPi only (everything except leptospirosis)
3rd vaccination: Leptospirosis only, which completes the leptospirosis course. Your vet will confirm the exact dates.
Optional:
Rabies — from 12 weeks: only needed if you plan to travel abroad with your dog.
Kennel cough: a lifestyle vaccine your vet can start in puppyhood if your dog will be around other dogs — daycare, kennels, training classes or shows. It's then boosted yearly (see below).
The first-year booster
12 months after the primary course (around your dog's first birthday): DHPPi + Leptospirosis
Rabies booster (if your dog has been vaccinated for it): at 1 year.
Ongoing boosters
Once your dog has finished their primary course and first-year booster, they settle into a regular rhythm:
Every year: Leptospirosis; Kennel cough
Every 3 years: DHPPi (distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus, parainfluenza)
Rabies (if applicable): usually every 3 years, depending on the vaccine brand. Your vet will confirm which applies to your dog.
A note on kennel cough: it's a separate, yearly vaccine rather than part of the core jabs — worth keeping up to date for any dog that regularly mixes with others.
The takeaway
Puppies get two core jabs two weeks apart, plus a follow-up leptospirosis dose. Rabies is only for travel.
The first booster comes around your dog's first birthday.
After that: leptospirosis and kennel cough every year, DHPPi every three years.
Your vet sets the exact dates and adjusts for your dog's lifestyle — when in doubt, just ask them.
Keeping vaccinations up to date is one of the easiest forms of preventive care, and a handy prompt to book your dog's yearly health check at the same time.
