Lifetime health & preventative care
Vaccinations throughout your dog’s life
Understand puppy courses, boosters and geography without a universal timetable.
Core and risk-based protection
Vaccination helps protect against serious infectious disease. WSAVA identifies protection against distemper, canine adenovirus and parvovirus as core for dogs globally. Rabies and leptospirosis recommendations depend on disease distribution, legal context and suitable vaccine availability. Respiratory-disease vaccination may be recommended where dogs mix closely, including boarding. “Non-core” does not mean unimportant for a dog who is exposed.
Puppy courses and adult boosters
Puppies need a course because maternal antibodies can interfere with early vaccination. Ask your practice for the course, protection-onset advice and subsequent booster plan for the actual products used. Adults do not necessarily receive every component at every visit. If a dose is late or records are missing, let the practice decide how to catch up rather than restarting or skipping without advice.
Health, records and practical planning
Tell the veterinarian about illness, medicines and any previous reaction. Keep the vaccination record accessible, including dates, product details and next steps. Kennels and travel operators may require particular evidence or lead times. Titre testing can inform some vaccination decisions but is not a universal replacement for vaccination or legal travel documents.
Local requirements
UK and Irish owners should follow their practice’s licensed-product advice. For US and Canadian owners, rabies rules can vary by state, province and locality. In France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain and other European destinations, check route-specific official requirements alongside local veterinary advice. Use puppy care and travel guidance; this page does not establish a legal schedule for every country.
Continue your care plan
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Evidence and review
General information, not diagnosis or an individual treatment plan. Sources include veterinary professional guidance, veterinary charities and relevant regional parasite organisations. Clinical recommendations need individual veterinary interpretation.
Puppy & Young Dog: practical next steps
About this guidanceReview details and sources
Evidence and review
Reviewed 2 October 2026 · Review sooner if advice, distribution or requirements change.