The Perfect Pet: Puppy 2.0
If you love puppies, just wait for engineers to build the next-generation pet. What will it be like? These diary entries explore the question. They are a few slices of ordinary life, years into the future.
May 5, 2025
Dear Diary,
Over 10 years ago (I think it was 2013), Google purchased a company that made four-legged robots. Because these terrifying machines looked destined for the military, I did not expect they would become the product Google announced today―robotic puppies. They look real!
While the advertising is captivating, I don’t plan to get one. In the 1990s I had a plastic robotic dog made by Sony. It felt more like a toy than a pet. I didn’t have much affection for it, and I think the feeling was mutual.
August 8, 2025
Dear Diary,
A few friends have posted holographs to Facebook of their new robotic dogs. I think they fell for the hype or want to elevate their status by owning the latest device.
August 15, 2025
Dear Diary,
Today in the mall, I spotted some puppies roaming the hallway outside the Google Store. A fluffy, brown one, wagging its tail, stopped and gazed up at me. I reached down and petted the soft, warm fur. I picked up the puppy, and it snuggled into my neck. I had expected to feel a metal skeleton under the fur, but the puppy was flexible and as cuddly as a real dog. I felt a twinge of love.
I thought about bringing it home. It would be easier than a living, breathing dog. When I go on vacation, I could put it in sleep mode, or it could come along. When I’m at work, I wouldn’t need to pay a dog walker. And this dog would not trigger my allergies.
So I bought it, and he walked excitedly by my side, without a leash, out of the store.
October 14, 2025
Dear Diary,
I love my little pet. Whenever I come home, he seems filled with joy, bounding across the kitchen to greet me. Unlike my mother, the puppy never judges me for who I am dating. And when the person I last dated didn’t stick around, my loyal dog did.
I do not have to walk him in the cold and rain. There is no poop to clean up. And he doesn’t bark or chew the furniture.
When I fall asleep at night, he hops off my bed and lies on his recharging mat. He knows to wake me up on weekdays at about 6 a.m. Each morning, he monitors my eye movements and gently nuzzles me awake between REM cycles. He sure beats the alarm clock.
As the day goes on, my dog adapts to me. If I look bored, he entertains me. If I look sad, he cheers me up. If I look busy, he leaves me alone.
As the years go on, he’ll receive software upgrades and be an even better companion. But one thing about him will stay the same. He will always be a cute little puppy.
October 25, 2025
Dear Diary,
Today my teenage nephew received a robotic therapy dog. It allays his anxiety and depression. His school allows him to bring it to class. And because the dog is a medical device, insurance paid for it.
November 8, 2025
Dear Diary,
Last time I visited my grandmother in her retirement home, she talked about laughing little and feeling lonely. Her husband and most of her friends have passed away. I’ve always felt a dog would do wonders, but her retirement home does not allow real pets. So today I brought her a robotic puppy, and her eyes welled up with joy.
I switched on a feature that makes the dog beg for a daily walk. For the first time in years, my grandmother exercised―without realizing it. She seemed to enjoy walking the dog. Or was the dog walking her?
November 20, 2025
Dear Diary,
Grandma says that on her walks, the dog lowers people’s guards. Neighbors who once had little to say now stop to chat. They share a laugh over the dog’s antics. One new friend has a robotic dog too, and the two old ladies get together to watch their robots play.
~~~
October 25, 2033
Dear Diary,
Today I visited my nephew who threw a little birthday party for his robotic puppy, which is now eight years old. My nephew, having made it through college in one piece, doesn’t need his dog anymore. A job, virtual reality gaming, and a girlfriend keep him occupied nowadays. So he’s going to shut off his pet one day soon. I told him about a time when people would bring unwanted pets to shelters, which he’d never heard of. Nowadays, they are mostly obsolete.
November 15, 2033
Dear Diary,
This morning, my puppy broke down beyond repair. So I transferred its mind to a new dog.
Owners of robotic pets didn’t always have it so easy. In 2014, when Sony stopped making replacement parts for its robotic dogs, owners grieved at a mass funeral.
But today, a law requires companies to provide perpetual support for pets they’ve sold. I’ll never lose my loving companion.
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