Cody Lovins: Essential Vaccines for Puppies and Adult Dogs

Cody Lovins is a Houston-based entrepreneur with long-standing experience operating consumer service franchises, including canine care businesses. Since 2005, Cody Lovins has owned and managed multiple Sport Clips locations across the Houston area, expanding his portfolio to 15 stores recognized for consistent sales growth and operational performance. In 2020, he broadened his focus to pet wellness by becoming a franchise owner with Dogtopia, a national provider of dog daycare, grooming, and boarding services.

cody lovins essential vaccine guide for puppies & adult dogs

Across his Dogtopia locations, Cody Lovins oversees day-to-day operations such as marketing, payroll, and compliance, with particular attention to health and safety standards required for group dog environments. His work in this space intersects directly with the importance of preventive veterinary care, including vaccination protocols that protect dogs in social settings. Holding a master of science in geological engineering from the Missouri University of Science and Technology, Cody Lovins combines technical training with hands-on operational leadership. Outside of business, he supports philanthropic organizations and maintains an active, outdoor-oriented lifestyle.

Essential Vaccines for Puppies and Adult Dogs

Dog vaccinations are essential in protecting against a host of diseases that are serious and contagious. They are split between core vaccines, which cover rabies, distemper, leptospirosis, and distemper, and non-core vaccines, which span diseases such as canine influenza and Bordetella. Puppies generally start a first round of vaccines within the six-to-eight-week range, with boosters continuing until around 16 weeks old. Through this repeating schedule of vaccines, the puppy builds up lasting immunity, even as antibodies passed on from the mother fade.

DHPP 5-in-1 is the earliest and most comprehensive vaccine and can be administered as young as six weeks. It protects against canine adenovirus (CAV-1 and CAV-2), parainfluenza, parvovirus, and distemper virus. The latter is spread among dogs, either through direct contact or through secondary contact with contaminated surfaces such as dishes, bedding, and toys.

Canine distemper is associated with high fever, coughing, diarrhea, and vomiting (common symptoms of many canine diseases) and can cause pneumonia, paralysis, and seizures, as well as death. Dogs particularly at risk are puppies who have not yet built up immunity and older canines, whose immune systems have weakened over the years.

CAV-1 is also known as infectious canine hepatitis and impacts the dog’s liver, spleen, kidneys, lungs, and eyes. In its early stages, congestion, vomiting, and low-grade fever are common. As it progresses, the potentially fatal disease has symptoms such as eye inflammation, abdominal pain, and jaundice. Milder than its counterpart, CAV-2 can contribute to kennel cough, which is associated with fluid buildup and congestion.

Extremely serious, canine parvovirus is highly contagious and often fatal. Loss of fluids and proteins, as diarrhea and loss of appetite take over, are common symptoms. Also serious and very contagious, canine parainfluenza is transmitted through the air and involves flu-like symptoms. Fortunately, the DHPP 5-in-1 vaccine, starting at 6-8 weeks and continuing with boosters at 10-12 and 14-16 weeks, minimizes the risks of all of these potentially serious maladies.

In addition, the puppies receive a rabies vaccine at around 12 to 16 weeks. A viral disease, rabies attacks the nervous system. After dogs contract the disease through a bite, the virus travels to the canine’s brain with devastating effects, typically paralysis and death.

There are two types of rabies: the furious form leads to aggression, with the dog attacking things in their surroundings, without an obvious behavioral trigger. With the paralytic form, the dog often cannot swallow, which causes excess saliva production and an appearance of foaming at the mouth. The result of both is paralysis or repetitive seizures, leads to death. The rabies vaccine is 95 percent effective. Only around 2.5 percent of rabid canines reported between 2002 and 2022 were documented as having received the rabies vaccine.

After an initial series of core vaccines, the dog should receive booster shots regularly, with most adult canines receiving both DHPP and rabies boosters every one to three years. Owners may want to arrange non-core vaccine boosters as well, depending on owner preferences and risk factors such as travel and being outdoors a lot.

It’s important to note that dog wellness franchises such as Dogtopia are focused strongly on canine health and require that participating puppies and adult dogs are documented as having the full scope of required vaccinations. These vaccines must be administered by a licensed veterinarian at least 48 hours before any Dogtopia visit.

About Cody Lovins

Cody Lovins is a Houston-based franchise owner who operates multiple Sport Clips and Dogtopia locations. With nearly two decades of experience managing service-oriented businesses, he oversees operations that emphasize safety, consistency, and compliance. His work with Dogtopia locations involves ensuring that canine health standards, including vaccination requirements, are met so dogs can safely participate in group care environments.