Yes the dog WAS used for Earthwork, and yes I dug to him with the injury and dug to him after his operation and it never effected his working ability underneath.
The last dig I had to him he took a real hiding and was bit through his front right paw, which turned out to be a blessing in disguise as he couldn't walk on the front paw for a while, it forced him to use his right hind leg properly that he had the operation on lol. I retired him after that dig, he was an average digging dog to be honest no great shakes, but my kids got to know him as I didn't have kennels up when I got him as a