How old should puppy be before her first injection?

Answer 1

Initially a puppy must be about 6-8 weeks old.

There is a series of vaccinations pups need re: general health (accounting for breed and weight), before the ones you would generally think of like rabies.

ASK your Vet and breeder/trainer. After the initial vaccines (which any conscious kennel owner/trainer can self-administer (get a copy of the records).

Generally, you'll annually need Distemper/Parvo/Lepto Combo, Rabies (typical, but a new one for rabies has been developed lasting multiple years; ALL requiring a Vet to administer), Bordetella (kennel cough if you ever board your dog).

Many breeders/trainers have vaccination days where you come to training and the breeder will have arranged with a Vet to be there and quickly administer all, more quickly, and at a more favorable price than taking your dog(s) in for appointments.

Answer 2

Puppies are generally six to eight weeks when they start getting vaccinated. Every three or four weeks after the first vaccinations, they have to go back and get more until they are sixteen weeks. Once they turn sixteen weeks or around sixteen weeks, they don't need to be vaccinated as often.

Answer 3

Getting started

Puppy shots protect your new buddy against distemper, parvovirus and hepatitis. He also may need vaccinations for other diseases, such as leptospirosis, if he's likely to be at risk, but your vet can help you to decide on the proper vaccines. The exact age when your puppy should get his first shots often depends on when you bring him home. Puppies raised by a reputable breeder or obtained through a shelter normally will have had their first shots before you get them, but typically your puppy should get his first shots when he is between six and eight weeks of age.

Boosters

You puppy will need additional vaccinations after his first shots. Your vet will determine the exact schedule, but typically these booster shots are given every two to four weeks until the pup is about 16 weeks old. The reason for the boosters is that puppies normally get some immunity from their mothers, and this natural immunity actually prevents the shots from doing him any good. Since you can't tell exactly when his mother's immunity will wear off without special blood tests, giving your puppy a series of shots helps to make sure the vaccine is there when he needs it.

Rabies

Rabies is a serious disease that almost always is fatal, once symptoms appear, but vaccination can prevent it completely. Since this deadly illness can be transmitted from animals to humans, the vaccine is mandated for dogs in all parts of the country. Your puppy will need his first rabies shot when he's about three to four months of age, something that usually is set by your county or town, rather than your vet. He'll need a booster again in a year, and then once every one to three years after that.

Delays

Puppies don't always get their first shots right on schedule. If they are strays, come from backyard breeders, or were owned by someone who didn't know or didn't care, pups easily can get well beyond the optimal age for first shots. As long as the puppy is in good health, he can begin getting his shots at any point. If he is an older pup, or even and adult dog, his vaccination schedule will be different from that of a young puppy, but the shots will offer him the same protection.