Ecuador Dog Names

Imagine being a man who lives and breathes for sports. But not just any sport, no, imagine being super competitive. Someone who went into the military at age 18, only to come out and teach skiing, before finally getting hooked onto a physically demanding sport known as adventure racing. 

Adventure racing is basically what it sounds like: a group of three men and one woman who race for three to eight days, alternating between sports like running, kayaking, and more. All of which takes place in some of the least hospitable areas of the planet, like icy glaciers and jungles. Racers endure things like extreme temperature highs and lows, altitude, sleeplessness, and more. 

Well, that's precisely what Mikael Lindnord did. All before joining the 2015 World Championships in Brazil, which is where he has to face the Pantanal wetlands and an anaconda. 

Sounds like the life, right? Well, surprisingly, if you were to ask Mikael about the wildest thing he's ever experienced, he'd take you back to the 2014 World Championships, in Ecuador. 

Four days into a seven-day race, Mikael and his team had reached a summit in the jungle. They'd switch from bike to foot, but for the moment, they were taking a break to eat and recover. It was through the corner of his eye that Mikael saw a dog.  

The dog, who would eventually be named Arthur, had deep wounds on his back and smelled to high heaven. Still, Mikael gave him some Swedish meatballs and sent him on his way. 

Two hours later, once the team was fighting through the deep jungle, they noticed the dog was following them. They figured he'd stop once they did more treacherous things like traversing mud holes, crossing rivers, and going up steep trails. But no. Arthur kept up the whole time. By this time, the team had chosen the name Arthur, after the King, due to his unbelievable willpower and strength, but they all agreed that this was no place for a dog. 

Fast forward to these days, and Arthur lives with Mikael and his family in Sweden. He goes out on runs and lake trips, and "prepares for challenging times" by burying leftover food once he's had enough. He's also a bit of a celebrity, since passersby will stop and ask about him, and the press loves to recount his story. 

This little Ecuadorean dog followed and fought tooth and nail to be a team member. And what he got was a whole family.