<P> This story is set far in the future when habitation of the Moon has already taken place . Jimmy Anderson is a Moon - born ten - year - old, and he owns a robotic dog named Robutt, whom he comes to love . He can go on the moon freely and securely as he is moon born and has Robutt with him . However, his parents want him to have a real dog, a Scottish Terrier . Since Moon - borns cannot visit Earth, his parents bring the dog to the Moon . Jimmy doesn't want to part away from Robutt . But since the relationship between Jimmy and Robutt is so close, Jimmy decides not to have the' living' dog and keep the' fake' dog Robutt instead . </P> <P> Quoting Asimov himself, "you may find in it (the story) a distant echo of Robbie". That story, written 35 years before, also involves a relationship between a child and a robot . </P>

A boy's best friend isaac asimov summary