Right before a four-person Swedish team was scheduled to hike, kayak, and bike a grueling 430-mile endurance race through the Amazon rainforest, they sat down for a quick meal together. That’s when teammate Mikael Lindnord noticed a tattered, miserable-looking stray dog. Feeling sympathy for the dog, he decided to give him one of his meatballs, figuring it would be the end of their exchange.

The team must have made a fantastic impression on the stray because he continued to follow the adventure athletes as they made their way through mud and dangerous terrain. Even when they tried to get the loyal dog to stop for his own safety, he wouldn’t listen and kept on going. During the kayaking portion of the race, their eager furry friend swam right beside them, prompting the team to invite him onto the kayak as their newest member.

After all five of them crossed the finish line…