Vaccination schedule / New Zealand
Puppy vaccination schedule in New Zealand
New Zealand does not publish a public age by age national puppy schedule. The NZVA position is deliberately non prescriptive and leaves frequency to the treating vet. The Ministry for Primary Industries code of welfare gives the start and finish ages below. Where New Zealand publishes nothing, Puplr shows the WSAVA international baseline and says so.
The typical schedule: Distemper, hepatitis and parvovirus
| Dose | Typical age | Vaccines | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First puppy vaccination | 6 to 8 weeks | Distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus | Core | MPI code of welfare for dogs: vaccination programmes normally begin at six to eight weeks of age. Parvovirus is common in parts of New Zealand, particularly where vaccination rates are low. |
| Second puppy vaccination | 10 to 12 weeks | Distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus | Core | No New Zealand authority publishes the interval between doses. This follows the WSAVA international baseline of every 2 to 4 weeks. Your vet sets the actual date. |
| Final puppy vaccination | 12 to 16 weeks | Distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus | Core | MPI: programmes are complete by 12 to 16 weeks of age depending on circumstances. WSAVA advises the final dose at 16 weeks or older, which is the stricter position, so Puplr dates this one at 16 weeks. |
| First adult booster | 6 to 12 months | Core | Core | Not published by any New Zealand authority. This is the WSAVA baseline: revaccination at or after 26 weeks of age rather than waiting until 12 to 16 months. Confirm the date with your vet. |
| Canine cough | 8 weeks | Bordetella bronchiseptica, canine parainfluenza | Non core | SPCA New Zealand: most dogs are routinely vaccinated against canine cough, and it is usually a requirement for boarding kennels and day care. Non core under WSAVA, annual revaccination. |
| Leptospirosis, first dose | 8 weeks | Leptospira | Non core | NZVA: appropriate leptospirosis vaccination should be used for at risk pets, with owners counselled about the risk when visiting farms and waterways. Age from the WSAVA table. New Zealand dogs are known to be infected with Copenhageni, Pomona, Hardjo and Tarassovi, and NZVA warns that not all serovars are covered by available vaccines. |
| Leptospirosis, second dose | 10 to 12 weeks | Leptospira | Non core | Two to four weeks after the first dose, then annual boosters. |
- No rabies. New Zealand is free of rabies, so it is not part of the schedule.
- The NZVA position is that every dog should be appropriately immunised and vaccinated as frequently as their own vet considers necessary. It publishes no public list of core vaccines or dose ages, which is why several dates on this page come from the WSAVA international baseline rather than from a New Zealand source.
- Distemper and infectious canine hepatitis are rarely seen in New Zealand, which the NZVA attributes largely to successful vaccination. They still pose a risk, which is why vaccination remains recommended.
- SPCA New Zealand advises that a puppy should be fully vaccinated before they go off your property. Balance that against the socialisation window: carry the puppy, and meet vaccinated adult dogs at home.
- On safety, the NZVA client sheet reports that moderate to severe reactions are rare, at roughly three in 10,000 dogs.
This is general guidance, your vet sets the actual schedule. Local disease risk, the products your clinic stocks and your puppy’s own history all change the plan. Take this page to your vet as a starting point, not as an instruction.
Common questions
What vaccinations does a puppy need in New Zealand?
The diseases New Zealand vaccinates dogs against are parvovirus, distemper, infectious hepatitis, leptospirosis and kennel cough. Parvovirus is the live threat, common in parts of the country where vaccination rates are low. Distemper and hepatitis are rare now, largely because of vaccination. Leptospirosis and canine cough are given based on risk and lifestyle.
Why are some New Zealand dates less specific than the other countries here?
Because New Zealand does not publish them. The NZVA position statement deliberately leaves frequency to the treating vet, and its detailed technical note is members only. The MPI code of welfare gives the start age, six to eight weeks, and says programmes are complete by 12 to 16 weeks. Everything between those two points on this page comes from the WSAVA international guidelines, and Puplr labels it as such rather than inventing a New Zealand rule.
Other countries
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Sources
- NZVA position statement, vaccine use in New Zealand cats and dogs: https://nzva.org.nz/positions-advocacy/position-statements/vaccines
- NZVA Companion Animal Veterinarians, vaccinating your pet client sheet: https://nzva.org.nz/assets/Clinical-resources/Companion-animal/CAV_Vaccination_Client_Sheet.pdf
- NZVA position statement, leptospirosis management: https://nzva.org.nz/positions-advocacy/position-statements/leptospirosis
- MPI code of welfare, dogs: https://www.mpi.govt.nz/animals/animal-welfare/codes/all-animal-welfare-codes/code-of-welfare-dogs
- SPCA New Zealand, vaccinations for dogs: https://www.spca.nz/advice-and-welfare/article/vaccinations-for-dogs
Last reviewed 2026-09-05. If a date here does not match what your clinic tells you, your clinic is right.