Welcome aboard whitedogpurple. Is your machine like the one in this thread or is it a different model? If you're not sure of your model number you can either call Singerco or find it here:
http://www.ismacs.net/singer_sewing_...-database.html
Once you know which machine you have you can get a manual here:
http://www.singerco.com/accessories/instruction-manuals
The machine in this thread is a 201. I don't know if the feed dogs drop on those or not but they have a very good reputation.
Rodney