Random street dog joined adventure team on a 430-mile race through Ecuador for a wholesome reason

There is something about a dog's unwavering loyalty that has continued to amaze humanity throughout the years. They are somehow able to recognize when humans are going through difficult times and offer them support. And more often than not, they end up establishing a bond that stands the test of time. A stray dog turned out to be an unexpected companion for a team of Swedish adventure athletes. The team named the adorable canine Arthur and in a short span, he became quite famous because of his efforts to stay with the team.

Sweden's Peak Performance team was in Ecuador to partake in the Adventure Racing World Championship. The grueling race is a true test of endurance, with athletes having to undertake hiking, kayaking and biking to traverse a course that covers 430 miles through the Amazonian rainforest. The team's encounter with the dog began when Mikael Lindnord gave Arthur a meatball, which prompted the dog to follow his team for the entirety of the race.

Speaking to NPR, the team revealed that the people organizing the race advised them not to take Arthur with them toward the final leg of the race. However, Arthur began to start swimming to keep up with the team, which prompted the team to make space for him on the kayak. Staffan Björklund, a member of the team, spoke to ESPN about this: "Arthur had jumped into the water. He came swimming after us. It was so clear, he was a part of us. There was something bigger in taking care of this dog than winning." When the team finished, they had one more wonderful, unexpected member who accompanied them through all the difficult stretches of the race. 

Lindnord decided to take Arthur back home to live with his family in Sweden. The team managed to create a PayPal account for Arthur to get him treatment for a wound he had on his back. Arthur spent some time at the dog quarantine in Stockholm before he got to go to Örnsköldsvik, which is where Lindnord's family resides. Members of the team were allowed to visit him during his quarantine stay while he got used to his new environment. That's not it. The team also created the Arthur Foundation as an effort to support stray dogs. Sadly, Arthur passed away in December 2020. His equation with Lindnord can easily be seen in the numerous photos that the athlete has shared on his Instagram account.

It is true that a dog's companionship can not be described in words. The wonderful animals also have a unique bond with children. Jillian Smith of Norwalk, Ohio, posted a picture of her 3-year-old son Peyton and their English Mastiff dog Dash with the caption: "When you're in time out but your best pal won't let you serve your time alone." The picture has become quite popular on social media.

Smith talked to Good Morning America and revealed that Peyton had been given a timeout for hitting his older sister Ryleigh, a 5-year-old. She gave her son two options: either go to his room or have a timeout. The boy decided to go with a timeout and Dash decided that he would give the boy some company. People adored the pure love shared between the dog and the boy and expressed their thoughts in the comments section.