Invisible Fence of Chicagoland

My husband and I would recommend Invisible Fence to anyone. We rescued a lab which like any large dog requires lots of exercise. At first we were skeptical that he would run through the invisible fence, but after two weeks following the install our puppy was fully trained and hasn’t had any issues since. Both Tricia and the trainer who came to our home were extremely helpful and professional. They answered all of our questions and were always very fast to reply to phone calls/​emails. Invisible Fence trains the dogs professionally and without harm. They are a quality company with quality product and staff. Very happy customer. 5 Stars from us

Had the system installed in May 2015 and it works like a charm. The training and service were/​are terrific so far. Home visits to tweak the system levels, train our pup, and replace the collar were all done promptly, courteously and without charge. The system is not cheap, but is top notch. You get what you pay for, and we’re glad we purchased from Invisible Fence.

First off, this is a long review — I cannot say enough about the wonderful system, and I also want to explain all facets of the process to those thinking about installing an Invisible Fence on their property. If you don’t want to read the whole review, here’s the shortened version — DO IT! :-)
We’ve had our Invisible Fence for almost a year. We adopted our lovable pup Georgie (50lb lab mix) and knew we’d need someway to keep him in our backyard since it isn’t fully fenced in. My sister has Invisible Fence for their boxer (look for the Jennifer K. review on this page), so I knew a little about it.
We were able to schedule Tricia (sales and she does not disappear after the initial sale like other companies!) to come over within a few days. She was very thorough with the details of the system and what our options were and left us with the pricing to think it over — no pressure to sign right then and there.
After thinking it over, we decided Invisible Fence Brand was it. It wasn’t cheaper than an actual physical fence — it was just a touch over what that cost would have been actually. We went the invisible route because it allowed us to keep the open feel of our backyard while also allowing our dog to freely be in the front yard when we’re doing yard work there.
Our first train (with Sandy, who’s great!) was prior to the install. The first train is purely inside using an indoor shield (looks like a little round white puck) that sends out the same signal as the outdoor system. This allowed us to get our dog used to the collar (it is weird to see your dog with two collars at first) and training method that uses their sight (flags), sound (collar beeps when in the fence field), and feel (collar also has a slight sensation — for the ladies reading this, it feels like the zapping thing that estheticians use during facials). We then practiced everyday (2−3x/day) with Georgie. That is the key to the system working, you need to practice with your pet.
We had the install a week or two after the first training. The install tech (cannot remember his name, but he was very nice) was really conscientious about our property and worked through an awkward driveway layout to get the zoning where we wanted, which was to keep the front and back yards separate. After he was done laying the wire, he explained how it hooked into our power in the garage, then did training with Georgie and walked him around to show him where the training flags were.
Again, we practiced with our dog 2−3x/day to get him used to the boundaries. He did test the system a number of times, but as he learned, those instances went down dramatically. On the final train with Sandy, Wrigley (her dog) came to help distract Georgie. At that time, we were allowed to let Georgie drag his leash around instead of holding it. This was a major step. Before leaving, Sandy explained the next training steps because when you sign up, you get 3 train sessions (#1 — indoor, #2 — at install, #3 — outside with Wrigley). But, as you see further down, you can get more training sessions. Actually, as long as you are still in training (meaning the flags are still in the ground) the trainings are free. I’m sure there’s a limit to the free sessions (maybe time or quantity) but we didn’t need more than 1 more.
Over the weeks, Georgie progressed and we were able to remove the leash completely. Plus, since it was winter, the training flags were buried in the snow and he still showed he knew his boundaries.
He did get out once (at night) after the 3^rd training. We texted Tricia the next morning and asked to set up another session with Sandy. She was out within 72 hours. She turned up the sensation on Georgie’s collar and did more training with him, which involved a lot of Georgie and Wrigley playing and Wrigley running outside the boundaries and Georgie knowing not to follow.
Since then, he hasn’t gone off-​property or really tested the system. We are totally confident in him being outside be himself.
A few extra tidbits — you get one year of batteries free when you signup and they are delivered about 3 weeks in advance of the change out. Ours just arrived two days ago; Georgie is due for the change on ⁹⁄₁₀.
They put a sign in your front yard upon install, but it wasn’t done in exchange for free batteries (like another reviewer said). Yes, it’s marketing for IFB, but it also tells our neighbors about it, so they don’t think there’s a loose dog in our yard.
You get to keep the indoor shield used for training. We bring Georgie to work, so we use the shield at my office door and Georgie gets to roam an office all day without being tethered to a desk. BONUS!
The indoor and outdoor settings on the collar can be at different levels, so there one more thing you can customize about the system.
For those who read the entire review — thank you! I promise you will love the Invisible Fence system!

Sara is the best trainer. I installed Invisible Fence to keep my new kitten from going out through my dog door. A worker was at my house while I was at work – he was doing measurements for a new A/​C system. When he left, he left the back door of the house open – the one with the dog door in it. The door was wide open for hours before I got home. My cat never broke containment to follow my dog out the door. I am so thankful for this wonderful system!

We had a great experience with Invisible Fence. Tricia was very helpful to get us set up with the proper service and training program. Plus all the technicians and trainers were very knowledgeable on the product and helped my dog learn very quickly. We even had a few issues and they came back for a follow up visit. Sandy came with her dog Wrigley and that was a great way to gauge how by dog was doing.

From the tech that upgraded our Invisible Fence system to the sales staff (Tricia was great!) to the trainer (Sandy and her dog Wrigley!), our experience was fantastic! We are extremely happy with the system and our dog, Phoenix, has responded very well to it! This is all thanks to the professional and friendly staff at Invisible Fence! They gave us the proper support and training to really work with our dog to get him used to the system. If you are considering an invisible fence for your property, I would strongly recommend contacting this company!

This company or branch of Invisible Fence is really good. From their sales folks to the service, they have been prompt and solid.
We have two puppies and one is really a pistol and was getting out and the staff at Invisible Fence have taken the problem on like it was theirs. After several visits, they solved the problem and our dog is no longer the nuisance of the neighborhood. As it turns out it’s more about training us vs the dogs and they are also good and patient with the people part too…
I would recommend this company to anyone.

The product is great the service is awful. They are more than happy to install the fence and will schedule quickly. The problem comes when the fence stops working or if the line is broken. The company schedules service a week or more out, charges you $ 100 an hour to fix and up-​sells you as they are charging you $ 100 to splice a wire. Its worth while product, just get it else where. I called today to get a service call and was told the earliest appointment would be 4 to 5 days from now. She said, I am sorry and hung up. She didn’t even wait to find out if I wanted to make the appointment 4 or 5 days from now.
I called DowWatch, explained my situation and they are sending someone out to service my invisible fence. Thats right… the competitor has better service than the company I purchased the fence from in the first place. I will buy a DogWatch fence when I upgrade over the summer. Avoid this company and office — no follow through or tact. I would give it zero starts if I could.
Also, they asked us to put a sign in our front yard advertising for invisible fence. The offer was for free batteries for the collar. 3 months later, you guessed it, no batteries. Its a scam. I am putting the sign back out there with a far different message.