First-Year Vet Schedule: Vaccines, Checkups, and What to Expect

New puppy owners are often surprised by how many vet visits the first year involves — it's not one appointment but a whole sequence, spaced out for reasons that make sense once you understand what each one is protecting against. Here's a realistic timeline of what to expect and when, along with why the spacing matters.

Why the vaccine schedule is spread out over months

Puppies are born with some temporary immunity from their mother's milk, but that protection fades unpredictably between roughly six and sixteen weeks of age, and it can also block a vaccine from working while it's still present. That's why puppies get a series of vaccine doses rather than one shot — each dose is a chance to catch the point where maternal immunity has faded enough for the vaccine to actually take.

6 to 8 weeks: first vet visit

Usually a general health check, deworming, and the first vaccines in the core series (commonly a combination covering distemper, parvovirus, and a few other pathogens, depending on the vet's protocol). This visit is also when to raise any early concerns — appetite, stool consistency, energy level, or anything that looked off in the first days at home.

10 to 12 weeks: second round

A booster of the core combination vaccine, plus in many regions the start of the leptospirosis series if it's recommended locally. This is also a good checkpoint for a weight and growth check, since healthy puppy growth curves vary a lot by breed size.

14 to 16 weeks: third round and rabies

A final core booster, plus the rabies vaccine, which in most places is legally required and typically can't be given before 12 weeks. This later timing is deliberate — 16 weeks is roughly when maternal antibody interference has reliably cleared in almost all puppies, which is why this dose matters even if earlier ones were given.

Around 6 months: spay/neuter consultation

Many vets schedule a consultation around this age to discuss spay/neuter timing specifically for that dog's breed and size — current guidance varies more by breed than it used to (see our guide to spay and neuter timing), so this conversation is worth having directly with your vet rather than assuming a fixed age applies.

Around 12 months: the first annual exam

A full physical exam, any remaining booster vaccines moving to an adult schedule, and often the first heartworm and tick-borne disease test if your dog wasn't already on year-round prevention. This visit typically marks the shift from the frequent puppy schedule to the standard annual or biannual adult wellness visit.

What to bring to every visit

• A stool sample if requested in advance — many clinics screen for parasites at early visits.
• A written list of questions; it's easy to forget them once the appointment starts.
• A record of any reactions to previous vaccines, however minor.
• Notes on eating, drinking, energy, and bathroom habits since the last visit.

Non-core vaccines depend on your area and lifestyle

Bordetella (kennel cough), leptospirosis, and canine influenza are considered "non-core" — recommended based on regional risk and lifestyle (boarding, dog parks, doggy daycare) rather than given to every dog automatically. Ask your vet which of these make sense given where you live and how your dog spends their time.