'喂狗' is a compound verb meaning 'to feed a dog.' It combines the verb 喂 (wèi), which means 'to feed' or 'to give food to,' and the noun 狗 (gǒu), meaning 'dog.' Unlike English, where we say 'feed the dog,' Chinese often omits the object marker when the object is clear from context—so 喂狗 functions as a complete verb phrase without needing '了' or other particles unless indicating completion or aspect. It's commonly used in daily routines, pet care, and casual speech.

This phrase is neutral in register and appropriate for both spoken and written contexts, such as giving instructions, describing habits, or narrating actions. While 喂 can be used with many animals (e.g., 喂猫, 喂鸟), pairing it with 狗 specifically emphasizes canine care. Note that 喂 is not used for feeding people—'to feed a person' requires different verbs like 给…吃 or 喂饭—and using 喂狗 to mean 'to feed someone dog food' would be misleading without context.