Okay, Shawn, now I've read your directions and have to ask what is a drop bar?  I think I know that the static bar would be the main one to hold him up.  If I saw it I might know what it is, but the terms are not familiar to me.  I'm looking at some things online, but they are way too complicated!  I need as few strings as possible because I will have a kid/teen working it, it will be dark and I don't want it easily tangled!

A drop bar is simply a bar that hangs down under the main controller on a cord.  I use black tie line (theater term for the nylon cord used the tie up curtain and back drops to a batten) which would be a bit like a cloths line maybe just a bit thinner.  Here is a picture of the one on my dragon. Not the best example since his was on a longer cord and it also has a control wire for fire running down the same route as the tie line but hopefully it'll give you and idea.  Normally would not be that close to the puppet itself.  All my puppets use this type of drop bar to support the main weight of the puppet from the shoulders. This let's me get movement in the head and other areas of the body with out moving the entire puppet.

I am definitely a novice at this.  The picture looks so complicated to me!  But with trial and error, maybe I will figure it out.   This is a time when I wish you lived close and I could just come over and have you do it for me.

Oh you can do it. For your dog invision two "I"s one on top of the other. The one on the bottom is connected to the one above with the cord as a drop bar. This is where you tie of strings from the shoulders and hips. The top "I" would most likely be just a bit wider and you tie of the front and back legs to that. Now you need just one more cross bar on this top "I" (Sorry no real letter to represent this) Just back a bit from the front you need to put a bar that is going to support the head strings.  If you want attach a string to the nose to the front of your controller.  Also that front leg bar for can be detachable as I mentioned but you wouldn't have to make it removable. Just gives you more options.

Also marionettes as a rule do not get tangled up with normal use. Even ones with a lot of strings. It is when you drop them that they become tangled but that really does not happen that often I promise.  They can also get tangled in storage and transport if you lay them down in a trunk or box. It is really easy to protect from this by covering your puppet in a bag (I made cloth bags for each or used dry clean baqs if a cloth one was not made yet) then you tie a string around the bag about half way up if you want also. This really keeps the strings all tidy as a rule.