Are they as smart as dogs? I've never heard that and never watched them. What do they do in a day?
In both the Nahuatl speaking areas of Mexico and the Mayan areas of Mexico and Central America, dog was one of the most common meats they ate. Pre-colombian era (pre-1492).
It's just another animal, but one we've as a society put in a special category. But if you're ok eating pig, cow, turkey, whatever, you should be ok eating dog.
Check this BBC documentary for example: