Here's the schedule most veterinarians follow, based on the AAHA and WSAVA guidelines. The short version: your puppy needs a series of core vaccines every 3–4 weeks from about 6–8 weeks old until at least 16 weeks old — and the final one is the one you cannot skip.
The core vaccine schedule
| Age | Vaccines |
|---|---|
| 6–8 weeks | DHPP #1 (distemper, hepatitis/adenovirus, parvovirus, parainfluenza) |
| 10–12 weeks | DHPP #2, ± leptospirosis #1, ± Bordetella |
| 14–16 weeks | DHPP #3, ± leptospirosis #2, rabies (standard in Malaysia; export/travel only in rabies-free Singapore) |
| 12–16 months | DHPP booster, rabies booster where given |
Why so many DHPP doses? It's not that the vaccine is weak — it's that antibodies from the mother's milk can neutralise vaccines for a variable window that can last until 16 weeks. Each dose is an attempt to catch the moment maternal antibodies fade. This is why the last dose at 16+ weeks is the critical one: it's the dose most likely to actually take.
Core vs non-core
Core (every dog): distemper, adenovirus, parvovirus, parainfluenza (the DHPP combination) — and rabies where the law or local risk demands it. Here the two countries split: Singapore has been rabies-free since 1953, so rabies is non-core there and isn't required for the AVS dog licence (you'll need it only for export or travel). In Malaysia, where rabies has circulated in Sarawak since 2017, vets treat the rabies shot as core — and in Sarawak it's legally mandatory, with the Department of Veterinary Services and state government offering free anti-rabies vaccination. Our SG/MY vaccination cost guide covers the local rules and prices in detail.
Non-core (lifestyle-dependent — ask your vet):
- Leptospirosis — increasingly recommended as near-core, and a genuine consideration in the tropics: it spreads through rat and wildlife urine in the puddles and stagnant water that monsoon season leaves everywhere, and it can infect humans.
- Bordetella (kennel cough) — required by most daycares, boarding kennels, and groomers.
- Canine influenza — for dogs that mix with many other dogs, or during regional outbreaks.
- Lyme — for dogs in tick-heavy temperate regions; it's not relevant in Singapore or Malaysia, where the local tick threats (ehrlichiosis and babesiosis — "tick fever") have no vaccine and are prevented with year-round tick control instead.
The parvo window: the part that kills puppies
Parvovirus is the reason vets are strict about this schedule. It survives in soil for a year or more, spreads on shoes and paws, and kills 90%+ of untreated infected puppies — while intensive treatment at a private hospital can run S$2,000–5,000 (RM2,000–8,000) with no guarantee. Between doses, your puppy is not reliably protected.
The balanced approach during the vaccine series:
- Do carry your puppy in public, visit vaccinated adult dogs, attend puppy classes that check vaccine records.
- Don't visit dog parks, pet-store floors, or ground where unknown dogs toilet.
The socialisation window closes around 14 weeks, so "keep the puppy home until fully vaccinated" is outdated and creates fearful adult dogs. Carry them; just choose the ground they walk on.
After the puppy series
Adult boosters follow at the first annual visit, then typically every 1–3 years depending on the vaccine and local law. Many vets offer titer testing as an alternative for DHPP boosters if you prefer to vaccinate only when immunity has actually lapsed.