Why It’s a Series, Not One Shot
Puppies are born with some disease protection passed from their mother, but that protection fades gradually over the first weeks and also interferes with vaccines while it’s still active. Since nobody can pinpoint the exact day a given puppy’s maternal immunity drops off, vets give vaccines in a spaced-out series rather than a single dose. That’s the entire reason your puppy needs several visits instead of one.
A General Timeline
Every vet sets the real schedule for your specific puppy. But broadly, most puppies follow a rhythm like this:
| Age | What typically happens |
|---|---|
| 6-8 weeks | First wellness exam, start of core vaccine series, deworming discussion |
| 10-12 weeks | Core vaccine boosters, conversation about non-core vaccines based on lifestyle |
| 14-16 weeks | Final puppy core boosters, rabies vaccine often given here where required |
| Around 1 year | Booster visit, then transition to an adult vaccination schedule |
The AKC notes that puppy vaccines are generally given every two to four weeks until a puppy is at least 16 weeks old, which lines up with this rhythm. Every visit is also a growth and weight checkpoint, and a chance to raise any concerns you’ve noticed since the last one.
Core vs. Non-Core Vaccines
Recommended for essentially all dogs because the diseases are widespread or dangerous. This covers distemper, adenovirus (hepatitis), parvovirus, and rabies.
Given based on lifestyle and regional risk. Common examples are leptospirosis, Bordetella (kennel cough), Lyme disease, and canine influenza.
Whether a non-core vaccine makes sense for your Shih Tzu depends on where you live and what your dog’s life actually looks like, boarding, group classes, dog parks, and hiking trails all change that calculus. This is exactly the kind of thing worth asking your vet directly rather than guessing from a generic list.
What Else Happens at These Visits
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Deworming Puppies commonly carry intestinal worms passed from their mother, so routine deworming is a standard part of the early visits.
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Parasite prevention Flea, tick, and heartworm prevention gets set up early, since preventing these is far easier than treating them later.
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Growth and weight tracking Small breeds like Shih Tzus have a narrower healthy weight range, so tracking growth trajectory early helps catch anything unusual.
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Spay or neuter timing There’s no single correct age. It depends on your puppy’s breed, size, and health, and it’s worth discussing directly with your vet rather than defaulting to a generic timeline.
I bring a small bag of high-value treats to every vet visit, even now. Cooper genuinely likes going, which makes every single appointment easier for both of us, and for the vet techs handling him.
What About Socialization?
This is the tension every new owner runs into: puppies have a critical socialization window in their first few months, but they’re also not fully protected until the vaccine series is complete. Most vets suggest a middle path, avoiding high-risk places like dog parks until the series is well underway, while still allowing safe, controlled exposure to new people, sounds, and vaccinated, healthy dogs. Ask your vet specifically what’s appropriate for your puppy at each stage rather than assuming either extreme.
The Bottom Line
None of this replaces your own vet’s plan for your own puppy, that’s the one part I want to be really clear about. What I hope this does is take the mystery out of what each visit is actually for, so you walk in knowing roughly what to expect instead of bracing for a pop quiz you didn’t study for.
Sources & References
- American Kennel Club: Puppy Shots, A Complete Guide
- AAHA Canine Vaccination Guidelines (Pet Owner Education)
- AVMA: Vaccinations for Your Pet
