Puppy Shot Schedule Calculator
Birth date to DHPP and rabies windows.
What it does
Puppy shots run on windows, not birthdays: DHPP rounds at 6-8, 10-12, and 14-16 weeks with rabies at 12-16 weeks. Maternal antibodies fade on their own schedule, so series overlap until protection sticks.
The tool above turns one birth date into four UTC windows for DHPP rounds plus rabies. Vets pin exact appointment days inside them and add lifestyle vaccines for bordetella, Lyme, lepto, or flu.
Veterinary vaccine guidelines from hospital and global small-animal associations publish these same core windows with one-year boosters after. Rabies timing follows law almost everywhere on top of medicine.
Book inside windows, bring records, and socialize safely meanwhile. Full protection lands around 16 to 18 weeks; carry pups through risky areas until then and boost everything at one year.
How to use
- Enter the puppy birth date.
- Read the three DHPP windows.
- Read the rabies window.
- Book inside each window.
- Bring prior records to visits.
- Booster everything at one year.
Formula
- born
- Puppy birth date.
Weeks count from birth date in UTC with windows inclusive. Your vet sets exact appointment days inside windows and adds lifestyle vaccines. One-year boosters follow the puppy series.
Worked example
Example: born Sep 1
Puppy born September 1, 2026.
- Puppy born Sep 1, 2026.
- First DHPP at 6 to 8 weeks: Oct 13 to Oct 27.
- Second at 10 to 12 weeks: Nov 10 to Nov 24.
- Third at 14 to 16 weeks: Dec 8 to Dec 22.
- Rabies at 12 to 16 weeks with a 1-year booster.
Reference table
| Shot | Window | Note |
|---|---|---|
| DHPP 1 | 6 to 8 weeks | Start series |
| DHPP 2 | 10 to 12 weeks | Keep spacing |
| DHPP 3 | 14 to 16 weeks | Finish core |
| Rabies | 12 to 16 weeks | Per local law |
| Boosters | 1 year | All cores |
Limits
- Core schedule only. Lifestyle vaccines vary.
- Vet sets exact days inside windows.
- Laws set rabies timing locally.
- Records beat memory at visits.
Common mistakes
- One shot and done thinking.
- Skipping the 14-16 week round.
- Dog parks before full series.
- Losing paper records.
- Missing the 1-year boosters.
Try it yourself
Quick checks. Answers sit tucked under each question.
Round 1 for Jan 15 birth?
42 days after Jan 15 is Feb 26; 56 days is Mar 12. Round 1 runs Feb 26 to Mar 12, 2026.
Rabies window for Jan 15 birth?
84 days after Jan 15 is Apr 9; 112 days is May 7. Rabies window runs Apr 9 to May 7, 2026.
Questions
What shots do puppies need?
DHPP rounds at 6-8, 10-12, and 14-16 weeks with rabies at 12-16 weeks, then boosters at one year. Maternal antibodies fade unevenly, so series overlap the window.
What is DHPP?
Distemper, hepatitis (adenovirus), parainfluenza, and parvovirus in one core shot. Rabies follows separately by law almost everywhere.
When does rabies happen?
Twelve to sixteen weeks, then a booster one year later. Laws set timing by jurisdiction; vets set the exact day.
What about optional vaccines?
Higher-risk lifestyles add bordetella, Lyme, lepto, and influenza per local disease maps. House-only low-risk pups often skip them.
When can puppies meet dogs?
After the full series plus a week, roughly 16 to 18 weeks for high-traffic dog areas. Early socialization still matters: carry, classes, and clean yards fill the gap.
Do small breeds dose differently?
Breed, weight, and label: vets dose by the animal in front of them. Bring prior records so nothing repeats or gaps.