Dog vaccines and boosters
Vaccinating protects your dog from serious diseases like parvovirus or leptospirosis, and it also protects the family from certain zoonoses. Puppies start at around 8 weeks, with a booster at one year. After that, not everything is redone every year: the timing depends on each individual vaccine.
Why vaccinate, really
A vaccine trains the immune system to recognise a microbe before the real encounter. In a young dog whose defences aren't yet in place, this is what separates a mild off-day from a fatal illness: parvovirus, distemper and leptospirosis still kill unprotected dogs. Some, like leptospirosis or rabies, are also zoonoses: vaccinating protects both the dog and the household.
Not all vaccines are equal. We distinguish the essential core set from those that depend on your dog's way of life.
The essential core set
Depending on lifestyle
The puppy schedule, without dreading it
The exact schedule is set with your vet; here are the classic milestones.
Around 8 weeks: first series
Distemper, Rubarth's hepatitis and parvovirus (leptospirosis is often added to this in France).
Around 12 weeks: booster
We consolidate the first injection, because the immunity passed on by the mother is fading.
Around 16 weeks: booster and first rabies
A booster for the earlier vaccines, plus the rabies vaccination if it's needed.
Around 1 year: the booster that locks it in
This 6-to-12-month booster secures lasting protection after the puppy series.
Adult dogs: why not "everything, every year"
After the one-year booster, the timing depends on the nature of each vaccine, not on a single yearly rule. The essential viral vaccines (distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus) are modified live viruses: they "mimic" infection and leave immune memory lasting several years. In an adult, a booster every 3 years is enough, and redoing them each year is needless over-vaccination. Leptospirosis, by contrast, is a bacterin (killed bacteria) whose protection wears off in about a year: a yearly booster, like kennel cough. Rabies is redone every 1 or 3 years depending on the vaccine used and on what the law requires.
Serological titre testing measures the antibodies in the blood: it lets you check that an adult dog is still protected against the essential viral diseases, and revaccinate only if the level is too low. A useful option for an older dog or one that has already reacted to a vaccine.
Microchip identification is compulsory in France, to be done before 4 months of age and before any transfer of ownership, then registered with I-CAD. Remember to keep your contact details up to date: a chip linked to an old address won't bring anyone home.
- WSAVA Vaccination Guidelines Group — Guidelines for the Vaccination of Dogs and Cats (2024)
- AAHA Canine Vaccination Guidelines Task Force — AAHA Canine Vaccination Guidelines (2024)
- Ellis et al. — AAHA Canine Vaccination Guidelines (core vs lifestyle) (2022)
- AVSAB — Position Statement on Puppy Socialization (2008)
- Fichier national d'Identification des Carnivores Domestiques (identification obligatoire, France), I-CAD
To go further
Frequently asked questions
When should you worm your dog?
Puppies are wormed on a close schedule in the first months, then the adult rhythm depends on their lifestyle and is decided with the vet (ESCCAP-type recommendations). Since some worms are zoonoses, it's also a matter of family health. Ask for a protocol suited to your dog rather than a schedule picked at random.
How long does a dog's booster vaccine take?
The booster itself is a single appointment. What matters is its frequency: a booster at one year after the puppy series, then every 3 years for the essential viral vaccines, and every year for leptospirosis or kennel cough. Your vet sets the dates in the record book.
How much does a dog vaccine cost?
There's no official rate: in France, veterinary fees are unregulated and vary by clinic and region. The price almost always includes the consultation with a full examination, not just the injection. The simplest thing is to ask for a quote that itemises the product, the consultation and any extra procedures.
At what age should you microchip a dog?
Microchip identification is compulsory in France before 4 months of age, and before any sale or gift. It's a procedure carried out by the vet and registered with I-CAD. For travel abroad, the chip must be fitted before the rabies vaccination, otherwise the passport isn't valid.
Do you need to vaccinate your dog every year?
Not everything, every year. The essential viral vaccines are generally boosted every 3 years in an adult, whereas leptospirosis and kennel cough, with their short-lived immunity, are redone each year. A serological titre test can even check protection before revaccinating: talk it over with your vet.
Is the rabies vaccine compulsory in France?
Not for every dog: rabies is only compulsory for travelling abroad and for category 1 and 2 dogs. France has been free of land-based rabies since 2001, and the real risk comes from unvaccinated dogs imported illegally. It's still strongly recommended if you travel.
Can you take a puppy out before its vaccines are finished?
Yes, and it's actually important: the socialisation window closes before the vaccines are finished. We socialise in a controlled setting (healthy, vaccinated companions, clean places), avoiding very busy parks. Total isolation does more behavioural harm than the risk it claims to avoid (AVSAB position).