Lots of people FMQ with the feed dogs up. Try it and see if it helps.
I can FMQ much better standing up. Have a cutting table the right height, so I put my sewing machine on that.
Having the right surface helps enormously. Try making the inexpensive quilting table in this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g14govA4pIM
It has helped a lot of quilters. This is what I'm going to make for myself before my next FMQ session (standing up, of course!).