Puppy vaccination schedule by country: US, UK, EU

What each vaccine does

There are roughly eight vaccines you will hear about in your puppy’s first year. Not all are needed for every puppy. Here is the short version.

• DHPP / DAPP / DA2PP: the combined core vaccine covering distemper, hepatitis (adenovirus), parainfluenza, and parvovirus. Universal in the US and in most of Europe. US schedules follow the AAHA 2022 Canine Vaccination Guidelines; for a UK example, see the Royal Veterinary College puppy vaccination page.
• Rabies: required by law in most US states, with the first dose usually given between 12 and 16 weeks. Most dogs should not be vaccinated before 12 weeks, per the CDC. The age is set by state law, typically between three and six months old, according to the Animal Legal and Historical Center. See also the AVMA rabies resource. Not routine for domestic dogs in the UK, but needed for travel: a dog going from Great Britain to the EU needs a rabies vaccination and an Animal Health Certificate, and a pet passport is not accepted, per GOV.UK pet travel guidance.
• Bordetella (kennel cough): non-core, often required by daycares, boarding facilities, and puppy classes.
• Leptospirosis: core for all dogs in the US since the 2024 update of the AAHA guidelines: two doses 2 to 4 weeks apart, starting at 12 weeks of age, then yearly. Elsewhere it is core where the disease is present, per the WSAVA 2024 guidelines. In the UK it is part of the routine puppy course (PDSA).
• Lyme disease: non-core, region-dependent. Important in tick-heavy areas (parts of the US Northeast and UK).
• Canine influenza: non-core, region-dependent. Mostly a US concern.
• Rattlesnake: non-core, relevant in the US Southwest.

Your vet will guide which non-core vaccines matter for where you live.

US puppy vaccination schedule

Typical schedule for a puppy born at week 0 and picked up around week 8.

How many DHPP doses: the AAHA table asks for at least three doses between 6 and 16 weeks, 2 to 4 weeks apart. The WSAVA 2024 guidelines place the final dose at 16 weeks or later, because antibodies from the mother can block earlier doses. If your vet started late or the risk is high, the series may run to 20 weeks (WSAVA 2024).

First adult booster: one dose within one year of the last puppy dose, which lands at 12 to 16 months (AAHA).

After first year: DHPP every 3 years under the AAHA guidelines (your vet may advise otherwise). Leptospirosis every year. Lyme and Bordetella every year where your vet gives them. Rabies every 1 or 3 years depending on state law and vaccine type.

UK puppy vaccination schedule

UK schedule is slightly different. Rabies is not routine for domestic UK dogs unless traveling abroad.

Per PDSA, puppies ideally start at around 6 to 8 weeks and have two injections 2 to 4 weeks apart. Some puppies need a third injection: your vet decides. A puppy is fully protected 2 to 4 weeks after the final injection. Protection lasts one year, then a booster is due.

After first year: a leptospirosis booster every year, and a distemper, parvovirus and hepatitis booster every three years (PDSA).

Rabies is only needed in the UK if you plan to travel with your dog internationally. It is separate from the puppy series. For a trip from Great Britain to the EU your dog needs an Animal Health Certificate from your vet; a pet passport is not accepted, according to GOV.UK.

Lepto 2 vs Lepto 4: UK clinics use either Lepto 4 (4 strains: Canicola, Icterohaemorrhagiae, Australis, Grippotyphosa) or Lepto 2 (the older 2-strain version). Which one your clinic uses is your vet’s call; ask yours to confirm. The UK regulator, the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, classes adverse events for both as rare: fewer than 2 reports for L2 and fewer than 4 for L4 for every 10,000 dogs treated.

EU puppy vaccination schedule

EU schedules vary by country but share a core pattern close to the UK schedule with rabies added for pet passports (required for cross-border travel within the EU).

The WSAVA 2024 guidelines give core doses every 2 to 4 weeks with the final one at 16 weeks or later, and up to 20 weeks in high-risk settings. They suggest a vet may give the first core booster at about 6 months instead of at 12 to 16 months. After that, core boosters come no more often than every 3 years. Leptospirosis is core where the disease is present: it usually starts from 8 weeks, with a second dose 2 to 4 weeks later, then yearly.

Rabies and travel: for travel between EU countries the pet must be at least 12 weeks old when the rabies vaccine is given, and the vaccination counts from 21 days after the first dose, per the European Commission.

For exact timing in your country, talk to your vet and consult the local veterinary association.

Core vs non-core vaccines explained

Core vaccines are recommended for every dog, everywhere, because the diseases they prevent are common, serious, and widespread. DHPP and Rabies (where applicable) are core. Leptospirosis is core for all dogs in the US (AAHA, 2024 update) and wherever the disease is present (WSAVA 2024).

Non-core vaccines depend on where you live and what your dog does. Lyme matters more in tick-heavy areas. Bordetella matters if your dog goes to daycare, boarding, or puppy class.

Non-core does not mean unimportant. It means individual. A suburban indoor dog in Arizona and a hiking companion in Vermont have very different non-core profiles.

Your puppy’s personal schedule

Because so much depends on your puppy’s breed, country, region, and lifestyle, the safest schedule is the one your vet writes for you. Bring this guide to the visit. Ask which non-core vaccines apply where you live, and write the next dose date down somewhere you will not lose it.

How Flok does it

Full disclosure: we make a pet care app.

In Flok, you snap a photo of the vaccine card the vet hands you, confirm what Flok read, and the record is filed under your puppy’s profile. The next dose shows up in the care plan, and Flok sends vaccine and care reminders.

Scan with your iPhone camera to get Flok.