When the Pi Beta Phi Rehabilitation Institute hosted a birthday party for one of its most beloved employees, there was no awkward gathering in the conference room for sugary slices of grocery-store cake. In fact, the invite requested no treats because the birthday boy is on a prescription diet.
There was, however, a giant tennis ball piñata filled with tennis balls.
Norman, Vanderbilt Health’s first facility dog, celebrated his 9th birthday recently, surrounded by his biggest fans and human and canine co-workers. Velour, Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt facility dog, arrived carrying a gift bag in her mouth.
“Norman is currently with me on maternity leave and is really missing work. For his birthday, it was important to give him time in his home away from home with some of his favorite people,” said Chrissy Durrough Lugge, DPT, NCS, board-certified neurological clinical specialist, physical therapist and Norman’s handler.
This year, Norman has more to celebrate than another trip around the sun. The golden Labrador, who helps patients who have neurological conditions during their rehabilitation, recently became a published author (along with Lugge and her husband, Simon). In the fall, after a four-year process, he was finally able to hold “Norman, at Your Service: My First Day”in his mouth.
“In 2021, my sister-in-law, Sabryna, started a new job at HarperCollins Publishers, and my husband and I began hearing stories about children’s books she was working on,” Lugge said. “At the time, our oldest child was an infant, and we thought it’d be fun to write a book for her. Norman was our obvious muse because I wanted to share his goodness on a larger scale. We donate a portion of the proceeds to Canine Companions (who trained Norman and provided him to Vanderbilt Health free of charge) to support their mission.”
The story, which follows Norman’s first-day-on-the-job fears about making mistakes, has become a comfort to many readers, big and small. There’s even a Norman plush toy with his trademark three tennis balls in its mouth.
“One of my Vanderbilt Health colleagues gifted the Norman book and plush to her granddaughter, and they have become a comfort when she is doing something scary,” Lugge said. “Her mantra is, ‘If Norman can do it, so can I.’”
Norman knows more than 70 commands — some of which he puts to use at book readings on campus and at bookstores around town.
“Norman can turn himself into a burrito, pass a ball with me, recognize colors, retrieve his book, operate the author page paw stamp, and even read a little bit,” Lugge said. “Of course, he doesn’t read in the traditional sense, but he has learned to recognize the shape of various words like ‘sit’ and ‘down,’ and can perform those actions when he sees the word presented.” Norman’s adventures won’t end with the story of his first day. The Lugges have already written “Norman, at Your Service: My Happy Tail” and “How Norman Saved Christmas,” both of which will be available in early fall 2026.
