Exactly - and for felling with small saws/short bars the spikes mainly just are in the way (have done quite a bit of that, as most trees aren't so large here).
yup. This spike thing has gotten out of control...I would certainly like the small, straight spike that comes on the European Dolmar 5105 rather than the North American silly big ones on my new Dolmar. Big spikes have their place on big saws with long bars felling big trees with thick, course bark. Otherwise small spikes or no spikes is the way to go.
I thought they were called felling dogs, not bucking spikes...