Grown Ups Inspired Dog Names

Leonard "Lenny" Feder is the character played by Adam Sandler in the 2010 film, Grown Ups. Lenny is a member of the championship basketball team, and he has many fond memories of his coach, Buzzer. One thing Buzzer told his winning team was to make sure to live life the same way in which they had in order to win that championship. Of course, as it usually does, life steers the boys in different directions. Lenny himself marries a fashion designer, Roxanne, and they have three children. Lenny becomes a highly successful film producer. It would seem he has forgotten his roots until Buzzer passes away and the original championship team convenes to honor their former coach's memory. 

Lenny is also a common name for dogs. However, two special pooches stand out as popular icons in the entertainment world. The first Lenny featured in this article is Lenny the Wonder Dog. Lenny belongs to a scientist named Doctor Island. Doctor Island has created a microchip which he believes will ease training of dogs. Doctor Island's contemporary, Doctor Wagner, wants to use the chip for nefarious reasons. During a scuffle between the two doctors, Lenny is injected with one of the microchips. Lenny escapes from the research facility, and, at first, he seems all alone. Soon, Lenny makes the acquaintance of Zach, who takes Lenny in and cares for him. Amazingly, the chip not only immediately trains Lenny, but Lenny is given the ability to talk. Eventually, Lenny the Wonder Dog shares his story with Zach, who then recruits a former police detective to assist in taking down the evil Doctor Wagner. Together, the trio shows Doctor Wagner's propensity for criminal behavior, and Doctor Wagner is finally arrested. 

Another canine Lenny found stardom as the cartoon character Lonesome Lenny. Lonesome Lenny is the creation of director Tex Avery, who released a variety of cartoons during the 1930s and 1940s. Lenny was meant to be a loveable if somewhat "dopey" character. Lenny is based on a character in the novel Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck. Lenny typically spent time with a dog named George (just as the character in the novel), and Lenny preferred to spend his time with small, soft, animals (much like the character in the novel). Lonesome Lenny is much stronger than he realizes, much to the chagrin of the smaller animals which he affectionately roughhouses.