Great Dane has begun to scratch the carpet...

Question
A new behavior: My Great Dane has begun to scratch the carpet. And not in
just one location. She is scratching vigorously the area to the side of our bed
where she sleeps, the spot in the living room where she lies as we watch TV,
the place she rests during the day in John's office. This is brand new
behavior.

Also, she has begun to briskly shake her head repeatedly in short bursts for
ten minutes or so over the past few months. I believe this may be an "ear
thing...." However, I do not believe the two problems are related. What could
the shaking of her head be? Could they be related? The scratching has been
only the past few days...

Thanks so much!!!  

Answer
I would have to see the area and observe the behavior to really get an idea of what we are dealing with. If she has allergies that cause her paws and ears to itch, the two behaviors could be related, but that's for a vet to decide. I suggest training her to sleep on a mat or bed. You can move the mat from room to room once she's trained to it so she lays where you want her to. She might abuse the mat on occasion, my dog abuses his, but it might stop her abusing the carpet.