Coming in March, a company will begin offering the first cell phone designed specifically for dogs.

PetsMobility, Inc., said that the PetsCell wireless phone would be marketed in pet stores across the U.S.

The phone is a bone-shaped device that includes a dog collar, and is worn around the dog’s neck. It automatically answers when calls come in from numbers the owner programs, and the owner can actually talk to the dog through the built-in speakerphone.

Not to mention, the phone includes built-in GPS capability which owners will be able to use to track their dog’s location, as well as a virtual fence which will notify the owner if the dog strays outside a defined area.

The PetCell will ship in early 2006 and will sell for $350 to $400, the company said.

President Cameron Robb said he got the idea for the phone while sharing a hotel room with a colleague at a convention.

“I overheard him talking to his dogs,” said Robb. “I was mimicking and making fun of it, but the reality was his wife was holding the phone down to the dog.” — Wired News

The phone also includes a “call owner” button, so that if someone finds a lost dog, they can immediately contact the owner.

The company has also launched a Web forum for pet owners.

No word yet on which wireless service the company will use.