Dog eating cat food, and not listening

Question
I have a lab retriever, Rielee she's 1yr and 3months old.  I also have a cat.  Rielee eats the cats food and not her own.  even thogh her bowl is full.  Me and my husband disipline her every time she does it, and she still does.  We put her in time out(her krate)  She does it when we are gone, and today she did it when I was home.  It makes us so mad, and yet we don't know what to do.  We have allready changed her food once because of this.  The cat is getting noticably skinny because of this.  Do you have any advise?  

Answer
I don't know of any real way of fixing it.  If you are going to accommodate the cat expecting its food to set out until it eats it, you are going to have to figure out a place to put it where the dog can't get to it.  If nothing else, one of those carpeted boxes with cat sized holes, maybe even one on a pole.  

If a Lab isn't eating its food, chances are it is over fed.  Most Labs will eat more that is good for them, and look for more.  Cat food is higher protein than dog chow and most dogs prefer it.  It is not the complete and balanced diet dogs need.  Compare your dog to the chart at this link, http://www.puppychow.com/products/popup_body_condition.aspx  You may want to have your vet confirm your judgment.  If she is over weight, you will have to cut back.  That will make her more determined to steal the cat's food.  You might consider leaving her in the crate more when you aren't around.  We don't even leave our 12 year old Lab loose in the house when we aren't there.  

Have you obedience trained her?  The dogs see all the
people and dogs in the household as a pack with each having their own rank in
the pack and a top dog.  Life is much easier if the 2 legged pack members
outrank the 4 legged ones.  You can learn to play the role of top dog by
reading some books or going to a good obedience class. A good obedience class
or book is about you being top dog, not about rewarding standard commands with
a treat. Start at http://www.dogsbestfriend.com/