Core vaccines protect against diseases that kill puppies. Non-core vaccines protect against diseases your puppy may or may not encounter, depending on where you live and how you live. Here's the schedule by age, what each vaccine actually protects against, and how to think about non-core decisions instead of just defaulting to "all of them."
| Age | Core (AAHA) | Non-core (lifestyle-based) |
|---|---|---|
| 6–8 weeks | DHPP #1 Core Distemper, hepatitis, parainfluenza, parvo |
— |
| 10–12 weeks | DHPP #2 Core |
Lepto #1 If risk Bordetella If boarding/daycare Lyme #1 If tick area |
| 14–16 weeks |
DHPP #3 (final puppy dose) Core Rabies Core (legal) |
Lepto #2 Lyme #2 |
| 12 months |
DHPP booster Rabies booster (per state) |
Lepto annual Bordetella annual or biannual Lyme annual |
| Adult (every 3 years) | DHPP every 3 years per AAHA | Lepto, lyme, bordetella annual |
A combination vaccine covering four diseases: Distemper, Hepatitis (canine adenovirus), Parainfluenza, Parvovirus. All four are widespread, often fatal, and well-prevented by the vaccine. The combination is given as a single shot.
Why multiple boosters? Maternal antibodies passed from the mother interfere with vaccine response. They decline at different rates in different puppies, somewhere between 6 and 16 weeks. Multiple boosters at 3–4 week intervals ensure at least one dose lands after maternal antibodies have dropped. The 16-week booster is the most important — by then, maternal interference has cleared in essentially all puppies.
Required by law in every US state. Timing varies (some states allow 12 weeks; most require 16 weeks). Given as a single shot at the puppy age, then boostered at 12 months, then every 1 or 3 years depending on state law and vaccine type.
Rabies is the only vaccine where titer testing is generally not legally accepted as a substitute. Even if your dog has high titers, most jurisdictions still require the booster on schedule.
Bacterial infection from infected animal urine — wildlife, rats, deer, raccoons. Transmissible to humans. Lethal in dogs if not caught early. Recommend if: your puppy will spend time near water, in rural areas, in wildlife-rich neighborhoods, or on hiking trails. Skip if: truly indoor-only city dog with no exposure to wildlife. Most vets in the Midwest, South, and rural areas now treat lepto as essentially core.
Bacterial respiratory infection that spreads in close-quarters dog environments. Usually mild — annoying but not dangerous — though in puppies can become serious. Recommend if: your puppy will board, do daycare, attend puppy classes, or visit dog parks. Skip if: none of the above and you have no plans to expose the dog to other dogs in those settings. Many boarding and daycare facilities require it, so check first.
Tick-transmitted bacterial infection. Risk varies dramatically by region. Recommend if: you live in the Northeast, upper Midwest, or anywhere with high blacklegged-tick density, and your puppy spends time outdoors. Skip if: you live in low-tick-density areas and don't hike or camp with the dog. The CDC maintains a real-time Lyme incidence map; ask your vet which side of the line your zip code falls on.
Optional, primarily for dogs in high-traffic environments. Recommend if: regular daycare or boarding in areas with recent outbreaks. Skip if: no daycare/boarding. Most vets only push it when there's been a recent local outbreak.
The honest decision tree for non-core vaccines. If your vet recommends a non-core vaccine, ask: "What's the prevalence in our area, and what's the lifestyle risk for my dog specifically?" Good vets will explain. If the answer is hand-wavy ("everyone gets this"), it's worth a second opinion. Over-vaccination has real costs (allergic reactions, immune-mediated disease) — but so does under-vaccination if the risk is real.
First DHPP at 6–8 weeks (often given by the breeder before pickup). Boosters every 3–4 weeks until 16 weeks. Rabies at 12–16 weeks per state law. Non-core vaccines start at 12 weeks based on lifestyle risk.
Yes, with risk management. AAHA and WSAVA both note that under-socialization is a bigger lifetime risk than parvovirus for most puppies. Safe spaces: your own yard if no unvaccinated dogs have visited, carried outings to friends' homes with vaccinated adult dogs, puppy classes requiring proof of vaccination. Avoid: dog parks, pet store floors, high stray-dog traffic until the 16-week DHPP booster.
Maternal antibodies from mom interfere with vaccine response. They decline at different rates between 6–16 weeks. Multiple boosters at 3–4 week intervals ensure at least one dose lands after maternal antibodies have dropped. The 16-week booster is the most important because maternal interference has cleared in all puppies by then.
Titer testing for DHPP after the puppy series is reasonable for owners avoiding unnecessary revaccination. Most adult dogs remain protected 5–7+ years post puppy series. Discuss with your vet. Rabies titers are not legally accepted in most jurisdictions; rabies revaccination per state law is still required.
DenLumen tracks every vaccine with the next-due date pre-scheduled. The reminder fires 2 weeks before the booster, with the vet contact one tap away.
Open DenLumenStep-by-step instructions for the features on this page: