Christina Hall’s beloved French bulldog, Cash, hasn’t seemed like herself lately. To figure out what’s going on, the HGTV star took him to see an animal empath—and ended up getting a heartbreaking assessment that her family is determined to remedy.
During a new episode of Christina on the Coast, Christina and her husband, Josh Hall, discuss the behaviors of Cash—whom Christina welcomed into her life as a puppy in 2017—and their other dog, Stella, a cancer survivor who has been in Josh’s life for around nine years. Since blending their dog family, the couple has noticed that Cash barks a lot. “He didn’t do that until Stella came around,” Christina remarked. “I think he’s trying to assert his alpha.”
Josh then claimed that Cash was the culprit behind a chunk of wood that was bitten out of their dining table. “I love Cash,” Josh added. “I just wish he’d behave a little more like Stella.”
They agreed to visit a pet communicator and landed at The Chakra Shack in Laguna Beach, California. The couple and their 12-year-old daughter, Taylor, both took of the dogs to meet the empathic healer Durga. “The reason I can read dogs is because dogs have feelings, thoughts, they have personalities,” explained Durga. “And it’s really eye-opening to know where they’re coming from on the inside because I’ve seen people making just small adjustments and having the behavior change.”
Christina told the pet communicator that Cash’s behavioral issues began when she married Josh in April 2022 and they moved in together. “Since we blended dog families, he barks his head off at every little noise,” she explained. “He’ll literally be barking even as he’s walking toward me and sees me, but he won’t stop.”
Durga asked to hold Cash so that she could “tune into him,” and her immediate remarks were sure to tug on every pet owner’s heart strings. “So Cash, when I tune into him, I almost want to cry,” she said. “My heart gets heavy, and I feel like there’s a barrier, like he’s losing you.”
She continued: “He definitely feels like he’s lost his place, but he actually feels like…. I don’t know if it’s territorial or that he has to constantly prove himself or get attention because he feels like he’s being put in the background in somehow.”
She goes on to reveal that Cash is a “me dog” who thinks of Christina as “his woman.” She confirms that Cash likes and respects Stella but feels like he’s lost in the shuffle. “He just has a misunderstanding about his place,” she added.
Josh admits that when no one else is home he doesn’t pet Cash even though Cash “follows [him] around like a shadow.”
Durga then tuned into Stella, revealing that she’s a smart dog who’s always looking out for Josh. “It’s very clear to me that Josh and Cash need some manly bonding time together,” Durga said during an interview after the visit.
Later in the episode, Christina and Josh take the animal empath’s advice by spending quality time with their pets at the beach. Josh holds Cash and runs along the coast with him as Cash shows off his puppy-level energy. “I’ve always loved dogs,” Josh said. “I love Stella a lot more than most dogs, but I’ve got plenty of love to give Cash too.”
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Associate Editor
Kelly Allen is the current Associate Editor at House Beautiful, where she covers design, pop culture, and travel for digital and the print magazine. She’s been with the team for nearly three years, attending industry events and covering a range of topics. When she’s not watching every new TV show and movie, she’s browsing vintage home stores, admiring hotel interiors, and wandering around New York City. She previously worked for Delish and Cosmopolitan. Follow her on Instagram.