[header] How to prevent older dogs from creating lick or scratch sores [title] Try an elizabethan cone. [step] This cone, also colloquially known as the " cone of shame, " is a cone that wraps around your dog's neck. It physically stops the dog from licking its body. 
However, the cone may not work well as a long-term solution, so make sure you talk to your vet about what may be wrong with your senior dog. [substeps] You may need to take the cone off so the dog can eat and drink.