Not sure what the benefit is of big dogs and having 2 sets of dogs? I tend to prefer shorter bars. I have a 372oe/365OE hybrid and usually a 20" bar. I use the smaller single 365 dogs, and realized I lose 1.5 inches of bar. I measured my 385/390 hybrid and noticed I lose 3 inches of bar! What's the benefit of going big ( other than impressing the chicks and ducklings?)
What's the big deal with the big dogs?
- Thread starter david newbie
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For trees with thicker bark and if you are doing lots of felling they can have an advantage. I prefer the standard size ones Echo puts on their saws for everyday, firewood work though. Stihl puts some really anemic, one sided ones on their saws that need upgraded regardless of what you do, unfortunately.
Tan oak and Doug fir bark can get pretty thick. I've probably seen it close to or at an inch thick. 1/2"-3/4" with frequency.
Redwood flakes can be incredibly thick. I'm sure many others get thay way.
For felling thick west coast trees. Personally I barely use the dogs let alone need bigger dogs. Its bad for your engine to lever on the dogs too hard anyway. I have reduced the length of the dogs on my old 088 with an angle grinder.
Honestly the oversized dog thing has gotten out of hand.
With that said Stihl puts puny dogs on alot of there saws. I always upgrade to slightly larger ones. Helps prevent the muffler/crank case from be smashed.
With that said Stihl puts puny dogs on alot of there saws. I always upgrade to slightly larger ones. Helps prevent the muffler/crank case from be smashed.
The guys who have already posted, have provided good descriptions of work-related reasons for larger dogs. I think the issue is often not so much "thick bark," but "high-profile" bark. Big trees with big vertical plates of bark.
The other story, however, Mr. Newbie, is, as you originally suggested. There are guys cutting all sorts of low-bark-profile tress who buy them to impress themselves and the chicks.
Maybe there is not a single one of those people on this forum, but...
Lifted trucks which never see dirt.
Roy
Make the diagonal cut on the left side of a tree at shoulder height. If your dogs are long enough you can just throw the saw up there and with good aim you will be cutting and almost resting as your chain is pulling in line with the dogs. Without those "long enough" dogs, your chain has to fight to pull against the case of the saw which is 5 or 6" away from the kerf. The diagonal cut on a Humbolt is almost upside down for the saw. Really hard cut to make without dogs that are at least a bit longer than what comes on most saws. Dogs are'nt for prying they are a pivot point.
Im on the east coast, we dont have thick bark or do humbolt cuts. When doing a conventional face cut with a low stump you dont use the dogs much at all.
I took the large dogs off my 660 clone and put the little single one off a small stihl on it. My 20 inch bar is only 2 inches shorter then the stock 24 now and the saw is lighter.
My smaller saws came with small dogs and work great for the stuff I cut.
IMO west coast dogs and full wrap handles are only for guys who fall big timber on side hills, everyone else who buys that stuff is doing it because they think it looks cool.
I took the large dogs off my 660 clone and put the little single one off a small stihl on it. My 20 inch bar is only 2 inches shorter then the stock 24 now and the saw is lighter.
My smaller saws came with small dogs and work great for the stuff I cut.
IMO west coast dogs and full wrap handles are only for guys who fall big timber on side hills, everyone else who buys that stuff is doing it because they think it looks cool.
Douglas Fir have ridiculously thick bark. Especially the old growth ones growing at high elevation.
I guess I look cool and impress the girls but I am ftom the west coast and find them necessary innner and outer dawgs- 372& 390 xp's
Tony Mayhew
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NSEric, You have obviously never used a chainsaw with a full wrap handle bar before? I own two Sachs-Dolmar 120 supers and my 266XP also has a full wrap handle! And you have way better control of the saw. They are rare to come across which makes them appealing to guys such as myself, who owns a chainsaw collection of around 140 vintage awesome looking chainsaws personally! And what the hell! You might as well look cool while you're cutting! I live just west of Portland Oregon and I have an arborist supply me with old growth Douglas fir for the past three years now! And my extra driveway is full of very large rounds of the beautiful stuff! Talk about a paradise for someone with as many saws as I have! Time to chase the spiders out of the exaust pipes! 
I chopped the full wrap handle off my clone saw.NSEric, You have obviously never used a chainsaw with a full wrap handle bar before? I own two Sachs-Dolmar 120 supers and my 266XP also has a full wrap handle! And you have way better control of the saw. They are rare to come across which makes them appealing to guys such as myself, who owns a chainsaw collection of around 140 vintage awesome looking chainsaws personally! And what the hell! You might as well look cool while you're cutting! I live just west of Portland Oregon and I have an arborist supply me with old growth Douglas fir for the past three years now! And my extra driveway is full of very large rounds of the beautiful stuff! Talk about a paradise for someone with as many saws as I have! Time to chase the spiders out of the exaust pipes!
I couldnt get the dam saw to the woods with it on there.
We haul the saws on their side in chainsaw holders on atv's or on the fenders of tractors. I'd have to fab up new different holders to keep the full wrap I dont need.
Different strokes for different folks, I simply use the top of the bar once and a while falling trees instead of flipping the saw over and using a wrap handle.
The big dawg thing is silly, You definitely lose to much bar. I just picked up the factory matching outer spike for my 462. It’s perfect and how the pro saws should come to start with.
How much was that outer spike?
$17 with the 2 bolts and nuts.
Bet they leave it off to shave a few ounces.
It’s not the weight imo. I gave my dealer crap about it when I picked it up and said the same thing to him. He thinks and I agree it’s about the money.
I have a lowered Jeep that never sees dirt ? Does that count
It does a 11.90 in the 1/4 mile though
Hell yeah it looks cool. Bigger dawgs, full wrap handle. Mmmmmhmmmm. Seriously though I use that full wrap a lot when falling some of the big fence line stuff we have out here. Like this big ugly poplar.
I even put a full wrap off an 044 on my 026 and it’s become my favorite saw to use when falling sub 14” stuff. She’s a fun little ripper !!
James Sawyer
ArboristSite Operative
Factory "Stock" west coast saw ms661 dwg. Maybe not something for everyone but I find them useful. Hold my saw up during the bucking cut over the top, falling putting in the undercut. Helps square up the buck cuts. Plus keeps my muffler back off the log. The little stock dwg on the half wrap hand bars saw just don't work for me. Not worried about losing extra bar length. I prefer the bigger chip guards, staying out of the pinch, better oiler. So, the extra weight of full wrap and bigger dwg are worth it to me. I don't see many women in the timber so not sure what you guys are talking about impressing, my sweetie at home so
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That comment wasnt directed at you as you use the wrap handle and dawgs falling large trees.I have a lowered Jeep that never sees dirt ? Does that count
It does a 11.90 in the 1/4 mile though
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Hell yeah it looks cool. Bigger dawgs, full wrap handle. Mmmmmhmmmm. Seriously though I use that full wrap a lot when falling some of the big fence line stuff we have out here. Like this big ugly poplar.
View attachment 1164855
I even put a full wrap off an 044 on my 026 and it’s become my favorite saw to use when falling sub 14” stuff. She’s a fun little ripper !!
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I watch too much youtube, I see guys on there claiming the wrap and dawgs are needed on every saw, then they go buck up small wood not even using the dawgs lol.
