The puppy vaccination schedule, explained for India

Vaccination is the single highest-return thing you will do for your puppy, and the window for doing it well is narrow. Maternal antibodies protect a puppy for the first weeks of life, then fade — and the fade is unpredictable. That gap, somewhere between six and sixteen weeks, is when most preventable illness happens.

The core schedule

In India, most vets follow a schedule close to this one. Your vet may adjust it based on local disease pressure and your puppy's history.

• 6–8 weeks — First DHPPi (distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus, parainfluenza).
• 10–12 weeks — Second DHPPi, usually with leptospirosis.
• 14–16 weeks — Third DHPPi + Lepto, and the first rabies dose.
• 12 months — First annual booster, then yearly for life.

Rabies deserves separate mention. It is legally required in most Indian municipalities, it is invariably fatal once symptoms appear, and it is transmissible to you. There is no version of responsible dog ownership in India that skips it.

Why the last dose is the one people miss

By fourteen weeks the puppy looks healthy, has been to the vet twice already, and the household has relaxed. This is exactly when the final dose gets postponed — and the final dose is the one that carries protection through the vulnerable period. A two-dose puppy is a partially protected puppy.

Before the needle

A vaccine works on a healthy immune system. Tell your vet if your puppy has had loose stools, reduced appetite, or any fever in the previous few days. A delay of a week is harmless; vaccinating a sick puppy is not.

Deworming should be current before vaccination. A heavy worm burden blunts the immune response, which is why most vets will deworm two weeks before the first shot.

What to expect afterwards

Mild lethargy and a slightly sore injection site for twenty-four hours is normal and expected. What is not normal: facial swelling, repeated vomiting, hives, or collapse. Those are signs of an allergic reaction and need a vet immediately — which is one reason we suggest scheduling vaccinations in the morning rather than late evening.

Keeping the record

Vaccination certificates are needed for boarding, travel, housing societies, and sometimes for a flight. Paper cards get lost. Photograph each certificate the day it's issued, and if your puppy's record lives in a Tailish Health Passport, batch numbers and due dates are stored with it and the next dose is scheduled automatically.