Dogs are “man’s best friend”. The same can’t be said for, e.g. a mink.
Your inability to discern these differences doesn’t mean that the differences aren’t important.
And you are right. The “dog as mans best friend” is a western concept, however it is not a concept held world over. And as a person born in the western world I understand the concept of ‘dog as best friend’, I own several and would never consider eating any of them ... unless I was starving to death.