You bring home a cute bundle of joy and try to give him the best you can afford. Apart from the love, care and affection you shower on your little pet, it is important you ensure that he has a healthy life too. You can do so by learning all about what, why, where and when do puppies need shots. Vaccination of puppies is as crucial as vaccinating a human baby. This will help keep diseases and illnesses at bay, and protect your puppy throughout his life. Let us have a look at a puppy shots schedule in the following paragraphs, and learn all about when do puppies need shots.

Why Do Puppies Need Shots
Before we go into the details of when, it is important to understand why. Bringing home a pet dog is not only a feeling full of joy and fun, but also a matter of responsibility. You need to get your pup registered with a vet and get information regarding the puppy shot timeline. Puppies are born with a natural protection from the antibodies they receive from their mother in-utero and from her milk. These antibodies known as Maternally Derived Antibodies (MDA) are only able to protect the puppies for the first few days of their lives. The mother can only pass on the level of immunity to her pups according to her own immunity levels. This means the weakest may remain weak, if not vaccinated. Hence, it is every owner's responsibility to stimulate their pet's natural immunity by providing him with a protective vaccine. Today, one does not need to give the puppy a vaccine for each and every disease and illness. There are vaccines that come in combination and protect against more than one disease, in a single shot. Let us have a look at the list of puppy shots that are a must for every little pup.

List of Puppy Shots
There is a short, but important list of puppy shots that should be given to a canine pet. There are two types of vaccines, core and non-core. The non-core vaccines are those that depend on geographical location of you and your puppy. These vaccines are recommended by the vet according to the potential of these diseases that may infect your dog. The core vaccines are those that have to be compulsorily given to your puppy. Let's have a look at the list of core vaccines, followed by non-core vaccines for your dog. You can also learn a bit about puppy shots cost.

List of Core Vaccines
  • Distemper
  • Canine adenovirus
  • Parvo
  • Rabies
  • Kennel Cough
List of Non-Core Vaccines
  • Adenovirus
  • Coronavirus
  • Leptospirosis
  • Parainfluenza
  • Bordetella
  • Lyme
When Do Puppies Require Shots
Now, coming to the important part - when do puppies require shots. One should vaccinate their pup before they begin to lose their natural immunity. This means, you should give the pup his first shot by the age of 5 weeks. There are different types of vaccines given in a single injection. This includes 5 way or 7 way vaccines. The 5 way vaccine should be given between the age of 6 to 9 weeks. When the pup is about 12 to 15 weeks old, one should think about a 7 way vaccine, and a rabies vaccine as well. Let us have a look at the puppy shot schedule that will help you understand when to give which vaccination to your pup.

Puppy Shot Schedule for Core Vaccines

Puppy Shot Timeline
Age of Puppy Type of Core Vaccines
6 - 8 weeks Distemper, Parvovirus, Hepatitis
9 - 11 weeks Distemper, Parvovirus, Hepatitis
12 - 14 weeks Rabies, Distemper, Parvovirus, Hepatitis

Puppy Shot Schedule for Non-Core Vaccines

Puppy Shot Timeline
Age of Puppy Type of Non-Core Vaccines
6 - 8 weeks Adenovirus, Coronavirus, Leptospirosis, Parainfluenza
9 - 11 weeks Adenovirus, Coronavirus, Leptospirosis, Parainfluenza, Bordetella
12 - 14 weeks Adenovirus, Coronavirus, Leptospirosis, Parainfluenza, Lyme

This is the puppy shot schedule that you need to follow to protect your pet from diseases and illnesses. An adult dog needs annual boosters, and in some cases, requires shots every 3 years. You should speak to the veterinarian regarding when do puppies need shots in detail, and learn the timeline for each vaccine for your pup. For the good health of your puppy and your peace of mind, do make sure you vaccinate your bundle of joy, on time.