For years we've all been guilty of the "following the herd" mentality, taking our vets advice without even thinking but now things are changing, more and more vets question whether or not we do need to vaccinate on a yearly basis.
Here follows the latest recommendations from the American Animal Hospital Association Canine Vaccination Task force regarding vaccinations.

1.    Never vaccinate at less than 8 weeks - little or no protection is given
2.    Never give vaccines 2 weeks apart - this suppresses the immune system
3.    Always give vaccines 3 to 4 weeks apart
4.    One booster, given any time after the age of 6 months of age, will give life-long immunity
5.    Never give annual boosters - these are unnecessary and subject the dog to the risk of allergic reactions and diseases such as Haemolytic Anaemia.  Also, the antibodies from the initial vaccine neutralize the antigens in the booster vaccine, so there's little or no effect.

So there you go, dogs don't need - and can indeed be harmed by early vaccination and regular boosting according to the AAHACT.

One small but important point is the recommendations mentioned apply to the MLV (modified live virus) vaccines, not the killed ones therefore, Leptospirosis is not included in this, however there is strong evidence that the Lepto vaccine isn't very effective anyway.

So what can we do to ensure the best for our pets ?

You can get your vet to carry out a Titre Test on your pet.  This entails blood being drawn then sent away to a lab in order to check the level of your dogs immunity against the diseases concerned, should the test come back with a high reading then you won't have to vaccinate your pet.
Also, the more enlightened kennel owner is now accepting dogs that aren't vaccinated so long as you can provide a letter from your vet stating that your dog has been titre tested and is clear.
Some training classes are also taking the same view as are some insurance companies that have came out of the dark ages although they will not pay for an illness that could have been prevented by vaccinations.

What do we do ?

Well we give the first vaccination then titre test thereafter.  To date our readings have been sky high meaning we haven't needed to vaccinate.

It's a mine-field I know but hopefully you can make a more informed decision now you've been furnished with some up to date facts.

It is also recommended that you do not vaccinate any animal that has an Auto Immune Disorder, serious on-going medical condition or has had an allergic reaction to vaccinations before.