Thanks Mighty.
After using the machine for a bit, we realized that the stitch length isn't long enough. The selector knob is set to the max and looking at the mechanisms it attaches to, seems to be doing its thing. Oddly, on the back side of the fabric, the stitches look better. I'm a newbie at this stuff, but am guessing the dog is slightly hung up somewhere. Any suggestions for where I should be looking?