Without Jerry acting as the "buffer," George and Elaine realize they have nothing in common and cannot sustain a conversation.
Seinfeld, Season Three, Episode Four, “The Dog” - The Avocado [S3E4] The Dog
Farfel is famously never shown on-screen; his presence is felt entirely through loud, obnoxious barking (actually voiced by artist Tom Williams). This makes the "villain" of the story an abstract, inescapable force. The "Deep" Social Reality: George and Elaine Without Jerry acting as the "buffer," George and
Jerry is socially "trapped" into dog-sitting for Gavin Polone , a stranger he met on a plane. The humor stems from his inability to say "no" to a person he barely knows, even as the dog ruins his life. The "Deep" Social Reality: George and Elaine Jerry
The most significant character development in this episode reveals the true nature of the group's friendship:
They eventually find that their only shared interest is making fun of Jerry , specifically mocking his favorite tea (Morning Thunder) and his bathroom habits. The Kramer B-Plot