Privately owned dog parks have seen an influx in requests from XL Bully owners in recent weeks, but the banned breed will have to play on their own under new rules.

Maxine Hughes, who owns Royal Hounds Dog Park, says she has seen an increase in interest in her private fields which dog walkers can pay £15 an hour for their dogs to run around.

But she is going to have to be very strict and the controversial breed will not be able to bring a friend from another household to the site in Sole Street, Meopham.

“It has to be one-on-one and they have to be living in the same house,” Maxine said.

“If someone has two dogs and one of them is an XL Bully they will have to bring another person to be one-on-one with the other dog.

“If they have a friend with a dog who lives in another house they will not be able to share the field.”

Michelle West, from Northfleet, says this is disappointing news as her XL Bully Ozzie is best friends with her sister’s dog.

“I was planning to organise to take all the family dogs so they can play,” she said. “My sister's Labrador, Jax, is his best mate and they love running together.

“They would love to be able to run around together in the field, but they can’t because we don’t live together.”

Michelle says her sister, who lives in a rural part of the country, has suggested they go for walks near where she lives.

“She said she never sees anyone when she is out walking and Ozzie could walk without a muzzle, but I would never do that,” Michelle said.

“It takes just one stranger to make one phone call and that’s my dog gone.”

The devastated dog lover also said good Samaritans have offered her the opportunity to walk her dog on their private land.

“I wouldn’t do that either,” she said. “I couldn’t take the risk as how do I know the land is properly secured and the law is so unclear.

”There are so many grey areas and so much confusion because the legislation has been rushed through.”

Michelle says two-year-old Ozzie is really struggling with the muzzle, which she is finding devastating.

“It breaks my heart,” she explained. “He hates it. He currently won’t walk more than five yards from the front door.

“He is really fighting with it and just panics. There are so many trainers offering help but it just seems to be freaking him out.

“He freezes and won’t walk even though we’ve been working with him for months.

“He’s like a different dog when he is wearing it. It’s so sad.”

Maxine, who has been running her dog park for two years, has checked with her insurance and knows exactly what needs to be done within the law to allow the banned breed to use her park.

She said: “They have to be muzzled and leashed in the car park until they are through the gates of the arena and the gate has been secured.”

From Thursday, February 1, anyone wishing to use the park, or any privately secured land, must provide all the necessary documentation for insurance purposes.

“We have to cover our backs,” Maxine said. “People must have filled in the online forms to prove their dog is registered, neutered and microchipped and been sent the necessary documentation from the Government.”

But Maxine can see loopholes in the legislation.

“People have to be honest when they are filling in these forms,” she said. “I can’t tell if they are lying.”

She said she also runs a dog walking business and one of her clients is a cross breed which resembles an XL Bully.

“If I get stopped by a policeman while walking him it will be up to me to prove he is not an XL Bully.”

Royal Hounds Dog Park has two separate arenas sectioned by a secure six-foot fence line buried into the ground – allowing dogs to interact safely and have fun with up to six friends.

Both arenas are 1.2 acres and fully surrounded by fencing and solid gates.

In October, the government made announced that by the end of the year, XL Bully dogs will be added to the list of banned dog breeds in the UK.

They are the fifth breed on the list, which also includes the Pit Bull Terrier, the Fila Brasileiro, the Japanese Tosa and the Dogo Argentino, and is the first to be added for over thirty years.

From December 31 it became illegal to sell, abandon, give away, or breed from an XL Bully, or have them in public without a lead and muzzle.

Current owners must have registered for a Certificate of Exemption in order to be allowed to keep their dog which includes providing proof of their dog’s microchip, ensuring they are neutered (depending on their age) and taking out third party public liability insurance for banned breeds of dogs.