His loyalty and determination to follow his new friends along their dangerous 430-mile race through the Amazon jungle won over the hearts of a nation, and made him an international hero.

But Arthur, now Sweden’s most famous dog, has found no difficulty in swapping the steamy swamps of the South American rainforest for the frozen woodlands of Scandinavia, and appears completely at home with his new family.

Rolling around in the snow and making angel shapes, the adorable scruffy mongrel shows how well he has adapted to Europe’s icy north.

New home: Arthur looks at home in the snow, but until this year the scruffy mongrel had never seen any of the white stuff - instead, he was a stray living in the Ecuadorian rainforest, riddled with fleas and infection

Loyalty: But then he shared some meatballs with Team Peak Performance, a four-person Swedish team taking part in an 430 mile endurance race through the Amazon rain forest in November last year

Speaking exclusively to MailOnline owner Mikael Lindnord said: ‘Arthur loves snow and can´t get enough of it. The first time he saw snow he just ran out and rolled around in it and he has been doing that ever since.

‘His fur has gotten much thicker since he came here and he actually did not like the heat during the summer.

‘When I was out running or walking with him he always wanted to go for a swim in the ice cold lake we have nearby.

‘It is like he has lived up here in the north his entire life, even though he grew up in the warm rain forest of Ecuador.

‘I think Arthur was meant to be here in Sweden.’

Mikael first spotted the golden-furred hound out of the corner of his eye as his team took a meal break during the epic 430-mile Adventure Racing World Championship through the Amazon jungle in Ecuador last year.

Feeling sorry for the miserable-looking stray he shared his tin of Swedish meatballs – creating a bond that a four-month quarantine and the stress of tough bureaucratic red tape to get the dog into Europe, could not break.

Bond: Arthur, as the team dubbed him, never left their side after that - and ended up travelling to Sweden to live with team member Mikael Lindnord, his wife Helena and daughter Philippa

Joyful: Despite having been a stray, Arthur has settled into home life with the Lindnords quickly

Part of the family: It is like Arthur has lived in the frozen north all his life, Mikael told MailOnline

As four-member Peak Performance team continued the gruelling endurance race, the dog – which they later named Arthur – tagged along.

He swam alongside when they kayaked down rivers, he dragged himself up hills during climbs and pulled himself through knee-deep mud during treks.

Such was his loyalty to his new-found friends and determination to follow them to a better home, he refused to leave them, even when they tried to get rid of him out of concern for his safety.

By the time the stray crossed the finished line with the team Mikael had vowed to rescue the dog from a brutal life on the streets and Arthur had been branded a hero, winning hearts around the world.

Now renowned as Sweden’s most famous dog Arthur has settled in admirably with Mikael, his wife Helena and their two young children at their home in Örnsköldsvik, some five-hours north of the capital Stockholm. The dog was released from four-months quarantine in March this year.

Mikael, 39, told MailOnline: ‘Arthur bet his whole life on us. He bet everything to go with us through the jungle.

‘So I bet on him and I have been very lucky – he’s the sweetest dog in the world.

‘It has been a tumultuous ride.

‘From the moment he went with us in the jungle, to the trip home [to Sweden] and four months in quarantine, several operations and now he has become part of my family.

‘We have gone through many phases of life together in a short period and we have become very close.’

Friends: After Mikael shared his tin of meatballs with Arthur, the determined stray decided to attach himself to the team for the rest of the race, dragging himself up hills and pulling himself through knee-deep mud

Devoted: The loyal stray refused to give up on his new friends, swimming alongside their kayaks, in dangerous rain forest rivers, during the Adventure Racing World Championship, an annual event

Worried: At one point, the team tried to get rid of Arthur, concerned for his safety. But he would not be deterred

Mikael added: ‘When he came to Sweden we thought we would have teach Arthur how to behave in the house.

‘But he adapted from day one and is a very well-mannered dog who knows what’s right and wrong. He does not sit by the table waiting for us to give him food when we are eating dinner.

‘He has a habit of laying down everywhere you go. He is somehow always in the way and you have to take steps around or climb over him.

‘We don´t mind of course. It is probably his biggest luxury in life to be able to just calmly lay down in a warm house without having people beating him and telling him to go away.’

Riddled with infection, fleas, battered and bruised Arthur was in a terrible state from living on the street when he befriended Mikael and his team mates.

But he is now flourishing from the love and care he received.

‘Arthur is in great shape now, at the top of his game actually,’ Mikael revealed. ‘He is very fast and has loads of muscles.

‘We took him in to have a tooth root canal fixed a few months ago, but apart from that everything is great and he seems to enjoy life in every sense.

‘I don´t know how his previous life has affected him and his health, that is something we just have to wait and see and prey that he lives a long and happy life.'

Decisions: By the end of the race, Mikael knew he could not leave him behind - very aware that the average life expectancy of the 150,000 or so stray dogs in the Ecuadoran capital Quito is just three years

Separation: But to bring the dog Arthur endures four-months quarantine to satisfy Sweden's tough rules in importing dogs, which meant the family were not reunited with their newest member until March this year

Mikael added: ‘In the Ecuadoran capital Quito, where 150,000 stray dogs live, the average life expectancy for dogs is three years.

‘Based on that and that he has lived in Sweden for a year I guess he is three or four years old. He would not have lived much longer if he stayed in Ecuador.’

By contrast Arthur can run for hours at a time and has participated in some races.

‘Arthur loves running,’ Mikael explain. ‘When I put on my shoes and prepare to go out for a run, Arthur stands in the hallway jumping and anxiously waiting to get out.

‘I usually unleash him when we reach the forest we have just around the corner from where we live.

‘Then he runs off and is always ahead of me on the paths. A two hour-run is nothing for Arthur.

‘Every time he meets my team mates he greets them with love.

‘They are also a part of his family after our rigours in Ecuador last year. He is basically a member of the team, one of us and will always be a part of our group.’

Excitement: The Lindnords brought him to their home in Örnsköldsvik, some five-hours north of the capital Stockholm, where the stray has gone from strength to strength

Racing: The two still take part in races and go running together - but with his new thick and healthy coat Arthur sometimes gets over-hot, and needs to take a dip in the nearest lake

He added: ‘There was a charity race this summer where we ran around 20km. When the race started Arthur ran off ahead. He was determined to be the first one to cross the line and I struggled to keep up with him.

‘My team also arranged a swim-run where I live here in Örnsköldsvik. We brought Arthur when we tested out the race-course. He enjoyed swimming for around 30-40 metres before he decided that it was not funny anymore and placed himself on my back instead.’

A simple soul Arthur does not have any toys but enjoys playing with Mikael’s two-and-a-half year old daughter Philippa, and a terrier called Ludde.

Mikael explained: ‘Arthur does not really enjoy toys. He likes to play with my daughter, running, eating and sleeping.

‘He enjoys a nice and crispy pan seared chicken breast. I know that I spoil him. But I like him so much and just want to make him happy.

‘And he loves playing around with other dogs, especially our neighbour’s dog, a small terrier called “Ludde”.

‘I thought Arthur was going to have a problem with other dogs due to his background as a stray dog, but it is the total opposite, he loves to be in the company of other dogs.’

New friends: Arthur does not really enjoy toys, but loves playing with Philippa, who is two-and-a-half

Fame: The tale of how Arthur came to live with the Lindnords has been told in a book, due for release next year

Arthur and Mikael’s real-life adventure and close bond has been turned into a book which will be published next year.