The body builder & the Boston: Joe & Lenny on their journey to Westminster

In 2012, Joe Freni's wife surprised him with a puppy they named Lenny. Lenny, they felt, was simply perfect. In fact, he was so perfect that they decided to start enrolling him in competitions.  In the years since, Lenny has received titles both in dog sports and dog shows, the latter culminating in his recent spot in the Westminster Dog Show. Not long after he started showing his dog in the ring, Joe decided to also start showing... himself. In this episode, Annie learns about Joe's journey as a body builder, a power lifting world champion, and as a show dog handler.  

Lenny on Social Media:

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/lennytheboston/

Instagram:  @puppy_kid

Twitter:  @LennyandJoeShow

YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb9rAnMl99XelUhuyTG7_1w 

Shop Lenny Gear: https://shop.spreadshirt.com/lennys-loot

Learn more about "The Good Boys of Boston" calendar at @good_boys_of_boston

Fun Boston Terrier Facts: http://www.bostonterrierclubofamerica.org/about-boston-terriers/boston-terrier-history.htm

Our beloved Boston Terrier student Reggie is on Instagram at @reggieinnyc

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Partial Transcript:

Annie:

So I am here today with Joe Freni of Boston and he is the human who belongs a Boston Terrier named Lenny and Joe got in touch with me because he wanted to tell me a little bit about Lenny and I was intrigued because it turns out both Joe and Lenny are kind of both professional physical perfect specimens. Lenny competes in dog shows and Joe  competes and what you might call human shows. He is a bodybuilder and a world champion powerlifter. Of course, you  don't normally encounter bodybuilders in the dog show ring, at least as far as I know, so I wanted to learn more and Joe, thanks so much for taking the time to talk today.

Why don’t  you introduce us to your dog Lenny.

Joe:

So for anyone who's never met Lenny. He’s a fantastic little Boston terrier he is named after Leonard Nimoy a.k.a. Spock in Star Trek due to the pointy ears and the fact that we’re huge, you know, Star Trek nerds.

Annie:

 You know it's funny as I almost named my dog, Lenny, after Lennie Briscoe on Law and Order.

Joe:

No way.

Annie:

And I also once met another dog named Lenny named after Leonard Bernstein. So there are lots of dogs named after people it seems.

Joe:

Leonard Nimoy is also from Boston which we thought was really cool. So Lenny is six and half years old, we got Lenny as a puppy about 10 weeks old, I believe. My wife actually actually got him, she completely surprised me with Lenny, I had no idea that we were getting him. I've always loved Boston Terriers and we actually had three Boston Terriers prior to Lenny so they were all rescues and this was our first first Boston Terrier from a breeder....

Full Transcript available at Schoolforthedogs.com/Podcasts

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