Aggressive dogs

there are new rules now for the ownership of dogs concerning them running loose and it sounds like your neighbours are breaking those rules.  I suggest that you get a harmless air spray and carry it with you and as soon as the dog comes at yours spray it straight in it's face whilst firmly saying OFF.  be prepared to do this several times and every time the dog approaches you or your dog and it should get the message.  Of course you can report that it is allowed to roam freely to the local police and they should warn the owner they are breaking the law now.

Thanks for the tip -by air spray do you mean a spray bottle but without any liquid  in it or is there something else I can use?  I have been making myself look pretty large and scaring while shouting “NO!” But it doesn’t seem to have got the hint

Should also say I’m a bit loathe to contact the police as it’s not usually the best way to win friends and influence people, but good to know about new rules. What I’m not quite sure about is whether they are just designed to protect people or will also rxtend to our mutts!

no you need something that makes a distraction hiss noise like an air horn or any aerosol spray can not to be sprayed directly into the dog's face but at it so that the noise and the smell confuse it.  You can be sure if your dog is injured by the other dog it will be hard to get them to cover any vet costs.  The new laws are upheld by Seprona branch of the police no loose dogs allowed.

This can be very frightening one thing i used successfully was a water pistol or a childs pop gun where the cork is on a piece of string. The noise is a distraction. I hope your fur baby doesn’t get injured and you continue to enjoy your walks. 

To all the contributors to this thread so far please accept my congratulations on your posts. I'm glad to see so many like minded people as far as dog safety towards humans and animals is concerned. 

em68 is almost apologising for seeking information on her/his and her dog's safety. You can purchase sprays, high-pitched whistles etc. You can even carry one of my hurleys with you to ward off any attack. But, the bottom line is you must contact the local police with the problem of what is a savage and threatening neighbour's dog. The resolution may not be pretty, but you and yours are entitled to feel safe. You are doing yourself no favours by not contacting the police. 

For the record I am owner of two dogs in Ireland and when they are in public they are kept in my full control. Even in Spain the law is that dogs must be kept in full control too. The beaches in Mojacar Playa are now to be 100%  free of dogs and at all times not just the summer months  as some of the so-called dog lovers will say. The signs are there at the entrance to the beaches, but the uncaring dog owners choose to ignore these. 

There is the ongoing case also where a "caring" dog owner brought his unmuzzled (although the law states such a breed must be wear a muzzle in public) dog into the public lift in Mojacar Pueblo where it attacked innocent people while using the lift and in a very confined space. I don't know the outcome, but the dog's owner pleaded innocence as I have come to expect.

I recommend carrying a can of pepper spray with you. If you need to use it, get in close. That is possibly the only legal thing that can protect yourself and your pets from a determined aggressive dog. Shouting or screaming won't do a thing, as is often proven in many videos of dog attacks. Example:
https://www.nidec.es/es/sprays/spray-de-defensa-de-pimienta-sabre-red-gel-crossfire-tamano-mk-3-50ml-homologado.html

Perhaps some types of pepper spray are illegal in Spain, I'm not sure, but I've read that the fine for illegal types is 500 euro. If I had a dog, I'd be willing to pay the fine if that is what it costs to keep it alive, and I'm pretty sure police most often wouldn't be apply the fine if one uses/has it for good reasons. My wife carried pepper spray for years in the country we came from (where it was illegal) in order to protect herself from the increasing riches of diversity, but nobody made a fuss about it. She even took it onboard an airplane (which I definately do not recommend) by accident once and the baggage controllers either didn't spot it or ignored it.

The problem you've got here is you either have  another word with the owner and tell them of the rules again and if they don't do anything about it then you will make a complaint , because if the dog does attack your dog you could  easily get hurt  defending your beloved dog or worse a large veterinary bill, hope you manage to sort it out soon 

The sad fact is that your dogs behaviour could change to being nervous to go out..... which would be sad. What you have to consider is if you did not denounce this dog, and a young child was walking their dog by themselves, and it attacked it, not only could the dog be injured but the child as well. Yes carry something to give the aggressor a fright, but please report it also for yours and everyone's peice of mind. Good luck.