Dogs on the beach

I have been taking my mutt, Barney for regular Sunday walks along Cabopino beach for about 4 years, as I used to live there and it was his favourite place. Now I understand as well as the next woman that nobody wants dogs doing their business on the beach - and I always take him for a mini-walk on the wasteground near home before venturing out to Cabopino, plus take plenty of poop bags with us just in case. Today the police came along in a 4-wheel drive vehicle and said ´no dogs on beach now´. So Barney hid behind a sand dune, with visions of being hand-cuffed and carted off in the meat wagon to the nearest doggie prison, while I apologised profusely as I didn´t know the new rules about walking dogs on the beach. The rozzers were quick to move on so they could berate other dog walkers, so I don´t know if this ban just for the summer months, or all year round? Local rules and regulations in southern Spain can be quite grey areas, depending on the local police, the town hall and even, on occasion the security guards on the beaches. Does anyone know if there is a hard and fast rule regarding dog-walking on the beaches? Although Barney is none the worse for his brush with the law, he was kicking his legs and yipping and yapping during his afternoon siesta - he must have been dreaming about doggie borstal again.