Big dogs are like carrying a gun. Most of the time you don't need it, but when you realize you need it, you need it. Better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.
Get 1 size bigger bar and the bigger dogs and you end up exactly the same usable bar length with a more usable saw due to the bigger and more useful dogs. Most stock dogs you might as well just take off because they're about useless.
I've never been in a situation where I was upset that my dogs took up too much room and I didn't have enough bar. I've definitely been in the situation where I was cutting with stock dogs and couldn't get purchase on a log in certain cutting situations. This is why all of my saws have WCS dogs.
Get 1 size bigger bar and the bigger dogs and you end up exactly the same usable bar length with a more usable saw due to the bigger and more useful dogs. Most stock dogs you might as well just take off because they're about useless.
I've never been in a situation where I was upset that my dogs took up too much room and I didn't have enough bar. I've definitely been in the situation where I was cutting with stock dogs and couldn't get purchase on a log in certain cutting situations. This is why all of my saws have WCS dogs.
