What was the primary function of early Yorkshire Terriers in 19th-century factories?
Answer
Eliminating rats and other vermin
The initial purpose of the Yorkshire Terrier, which emerged during the Industrial Revolution in England, was entirely utilitarian. These small canines were employed as essential working tools on the factory floors and within the mines where their owners labored. Their miniature stature was a functional necessity, allowing them to pursue and eradicate rats and other small pests that infested the tight machinery, tight spaces, and underground shafts. This required them to possess significant gameness and tenacity, characteristics associated with true terriers, making pest control their defining initial role rather than companionship.

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