Jennifer Aniston Adopted 1st Dog Norman After He Appeared on 'Friends'

Jennifer Aniston is sharing the sweet story of how she adopted her first dog, Norman, after he appeared on Friends.

During an appearance on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, on Wednesday, September 10, Aniston, 56, said Norman wasn’t the most cooperative costar when he made a guest appearance on the iconic sitcom, which led to him going home with her.

“Norman was on an episode of Friends. The one where Joey and Chandler babysit Ross’ baby, Ben, and they left the baby on a bus,” the actress said. “They leave the baby on the bus and they’re running through New York City streets, trying to find the bus that they left the baby on, and you know how New York has these wonderful dog walkers with 20 dogs on leashes. Norman was one of those dogs.”

Aniston continued, “I said to the animal trainers on the show, ‘If there’s ever a dog you want to give up for adoption, or a dog that is available for adoption, I’m looking.’ They said, ‘We do actually have a dog who we are going to retire because he’s very stubborn, he doesn’t do what we tell him and he never hits his mark.’ So I retired him and he became mine.”

The actress said Norman was only 1 at the time, though he went on to live a long life by her side. In fact, Aniston has Norman’s name tattooed on her foot.

While Norman sadly died in 2011, Aniston is proud dog mom to Lord Chesterfield, a Labrador, and Clyde, a Schnauzer mix.

Aniston’s talk show appearance comes one day after social media footage showed her new beau Jim Curtis supporting her by attending the Morning Show season 4 premiere at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

The Friends alum first sparked romance rumors with Curtis after they were seen together on a Mallorca vacation with longtime friend Jason Bateman and his wife, Amanda Anka.

Later that month, multiple sources confirmed to Us Weekly that Aniston and the hypnotist were dating.

“They are being super private but have been spending a lot of time together. They are happy and really into each other,” one source shared, noting that “mutual friends” set them up and they “started off as friends but really hit it off” over time. “They’ve been hanging out a lot, but very much on the DL at her home in L.A. It’s very Zen, and she has always been very much into that. They’re a good match.”

Another insider explained to Us that things between the duo may be “new,” but they are “moving pretty fast.”

“They just get along so well,” the source explained. “Jen is so happy right now, and Jim is part of the reason. He’s like a breath of fresh air, and all her close friends are 1,000 percent loving them together.”

After a couple more public appearances over the summer, including Curtis supporting her at her haircare brand event in Los Angeles, Aniston seemingly went Instagram official with Curtis on Sunday, September 7.

“Thank you summer ☀️❤️🙏🏼,” she wrote via Instagram alongside several photos, including a picture of the back of a mystery man enjoying a sunset on a beach.

Aniston was previously married to Justin Theroux from 2015 until their split in 2018.

“In an effort to reduce any further speculation, we have decided to announce our separation,” Theroux and Aniston said in a joint statement to Us in February 2018. “This decision was mutual and lovingly made at the end of last year. We are two best friends who have decided to part ways as a couple, but look forward to continuing our cherished friendship.”

Since their breakup, Aniston has not publicly dated anyone — but she has admitted that she is open to the possibility of love.

“Never say never, but I don’t have any interest. I’d love a relationship. Who knows?” she told Allure in November 2022. “There are moments I want to just crawl up in a ball and say, ‘I need support.’ It would be wonderful to come home and fall into somebody’s arms and say, ‘That was a tough day.’”