hmmm tried the convert settings I mentioned above...on just a simple poly cube converted to a subd then one face extruded, split and left half deleted...... so I dont have to keep making the dog over and over until I can solve this problem........ and like I said I tried the settings I mentioned above - Keep Original with both Proxy and Standard checked and neither setting produced what I should be getting.
Someone please help me..... Im going nuts here...