[Tonchi]

Selling a dog with a pedigreed background without papers is common. Unless the breeder can confirm that the dog was not bred before spaying, they have a dilema. The so-called backyard breeders can get dogs that way and then use the AKC kennel's name to get high prices for puppies they produce. So the breeder will withhold the papers as a semi-protection for themselves. However, you MUST have the papers in order to show the dog, you can show neutered bitches in a separate class, so that would be your incentive to want papers anyway. I guess a lot of it depends on your relationship with the breeder.