diff --git a/.github/workflows/compile-examples.yml b/.github/workflows/compile-examples.yml
index 7e1595839..3ed3c6703 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/compile-examples.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/compile-examples.yml
@@ -105,6 +105,7 @@ jobs:
               - name: ArduinoECCX08
               - name: RTCZero
               - name: MKRWAN
+              - source-url: https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_SleepyDog.git
             sketch-paths:
           # GSM boards
           - board:
diff --git a/src/AIoTC_Config.h b/src/AIoTC_Config.h
index 76522c7bb..969cbe18a 100644
--- a/src/AIoTC_Config.h
+++ b/src/AIoTC_Config.h
@@ -113,14 +113,14 @@
 #endif
 
 #if defined(ARDUINO_SAMD_MKRGSM1400) || defined(ARDUINO_SAMD_MKR1000) ||   \
-  defined(ARDUINO_SAMD_MKRWIFI1010) || defined(ARDUINO_SAMD_NANO_33_IOT) || \
   defined(ARDUINO_SAMD_MKRNB1500) || defined(ARDUINO_PORTENTA_H7_M7)      ||   \
   defined(ARDUINO_PORTENTA_H7_M4) || defined (ARDUINO_NANO_RP2040_CONNECT)
   #define BOARD_HAS_ECCX08
   #define HAS_TCP
 #endif
 
-#if defined(ARDUINO_AVR_UNO_WIFI_REV2)
+#if defined(ARDUINO_AVR_UNO_WIFI_REV2) || \
+  defined(ARDUINO_SAMD_MKRWIFI1010) || defined(ARDUINO_SAMD_NANO_33_IOT)
   #define BOARD_HAS_OFFLOADED_ECCX08
   #define HAS_TCP
 #endif
diff --git a/src/ArduinoIoTCloudTCP.cpp b/src/ArduinoIoTCloudTCP.cpp
index d3a5db3fd..1ec314ec4 100644
--- a/src/ArduinoIoTCloudTCP.cpp
+++ b/src/ArduinoIoTCloudTCP.cpp
@@ -104,16 +104,16 @@ ArduinoIoTCloudTCP::ArduinoIoTCloudTCP()
  * PUBLIC MEMBER FUNCTIONS
  ******************************************************************************/
 
-int ArduinoIoTCloudTCP::begin(ConnectionHandler & connection, String brokerAddress, uint16_t brokerPort)
+int ArduinoIoTCloudTCP::begin(ConnectionHandler & connection, bool const enable_watchdog, String brokerAddress, uint16_t brokerPort)
 {
   _connection = &connection;
   _brokerAddress = brokerAddress;
   _brokerPort = brokerPort;
   _time_service.begin(&connection);
-  return begin(_brokerAddress, _brokerPort);
+  return begin(enable_watchdog, _brokerAddress, _brokerPort);
 }
 
-int ArduinoIoTCloudTCP::begin(String brokerAddress, uint16_t brokerPort)
+int ArduinoIoTCloudTCP::begin(bool const enable_watchdog, String brokerAddress, uint16_t brokerPort)
 {
   _brokerAddress = brokerAddress;
   _brokerPort = brokerPort;
@@ -189,7 +189,6 @@ int ArduinoIoTCloudTCP::begin(String brokerAddress, uint16_t brokerPort)
     DEBUG_ERROR("CryptoUtil::readDeviceId(...) failed.");
     return 0;
   }
-  ECCX08.end();
   #endif
 
   #ifdef BOARD_HAS_ECCX08
@@ -254,23 +253,31 @@ int ArduinoIoTCloudTCP::begin(String brokerAddress, uint16_t brokerPort)
 #endif
 
 #if OTA_STORAGE_SNU && OTA_ENABLED
-  String const nina_fw_version = WiFi.firmwareVersion();
-  if (nina_fw_version < "1.4.1") {
+  if (String(WiFi.firmwareVersion()) < String("1.4.1")) {
     _ota_cap = false;
-    DEBUG_WARNING("ArduinoIoTCloudTCP::%s In order to be ready for cloud OTA, NINA firmware needs to be >= 1.4.1, current %s", __FUNCTION__, nina_fw_version.c_str());
+    DEBUG_WARNING("ArduinoIoTCloudTCP::%s In order to be ready for cloud OTA, NINA firmware needs to be >= 1.4.1, current %s", __FUNCTION__, WiFi.firmwareVersion());
   }
   else {
     _ota_cap = true;
   }
 #endif /* OTA_STORAGE_SNU */
 
+#ifdef BOARD_HAS_OFFLOADED_ECCX08
+  if (String(WiFi.firmwareVersion()) < String("1.4.3")) {
+    DEBUG_ERROR("ArduinoIoTCloudTCP::%s In order to connect to Arduino IoT Cloud, NINA firmware needs to be >= 1.4.3, current %s", __FUNCTION__, WiFi.firmwareVersion());
+    return 0;
+  }
+#endif /* BOARD_HAS_OFFLOADED_ECCX08 */
+
 #ifdef ARDUINO_ARCH_SAMD
   /* Since we do not control what code the user inserts
    * between ArduinoIoTCloudTCP::begin() and the first
    * call to ArduinoIoTCloudTCP::update() it is wise to
    * set a rather large timeout at first.
    */
-  Watchdog.enable(SAMD_WATCHDOG_MAX_TIME_ms);
+  if (enable_watchdog) {
+    samd_watchdog_enable();
+  }
 #endif /* ARDUINO_ARCH_SAMD */
 
   return 1;
@@ -282,7 +289,7 @@ void ArduinoIoTCloudTCP::update()
   /* Feed the watchdog. If any of the functions called below
    * get stuck than we can at least reset and recover.
    */
-  Watchdog.reset();
+  samd_watchdog_reset();
 #endif /* ARDUINO_ARCH_SAMD */
 
   /* Run through the state machine. */
@@ -541,7 +548,7 @@ int ArduinoIoTCloudTCP::write(String const topic, byte const data[], int const l
 void ArduinoIoTCloudTCP::onOTARequest()
 {
 #ifdef ARDUINO_ARCH_SAMD
-  Watchdog.reset();
+  samd_watchdog_reset();
 #endif /* ARDUINO_ARCH_SAMD */
 
   DEBUG_VERBOSE("ArduinoIoTCloudTCP::%s _ota_url = %s", __FUNCTION__, _ota_url.c_str());
@@ -552,7 +559,7 @@ void ArduinoIoTCloudTCP::onOTARequest()
   WiFiStorage.remove("/fs/UPDATE.BIN.LZSS.TMP");
 
 #ifdef ARDUINO_ARCH_SAMD
-  Watchdog.reset();
+  samd_watchdog_reset();
 #endif /* ARDUINO_ARCH_SAMD */
 
   /* Trigger direct download to nina module. */
diff --git a/src/ArduinoIoTCloudTCP.h b/src/ArduinoIoTCloudTCP.h
index c26e08ec3..bdf61e105 100644
--- a/src/ArduinoIoTCloudTCP.h
+++ b/src/ArduinoIoTCloudTCP.h
@@ -66,11 +66,11 @@ class ArduinoIoTCloudTCP: public ArduinoIoTCloudClass
     virtual void printDebugInfo() override;
 
     #if defined(BOARD_HAS_ECCX08) || defined(BOARD_HAS_OFFLOADED_ECCX08)
-    int begin(ConnectionHandler & connection, String brokerAddress = DEFAULT_BROKER_ADDRESS_SECURE_AUTH, uint16_t brokerPort = DEFAULT_BROKER_PORT_SECURE_AUTH);
+    int begin(ConnectionHandler & connection, bool const enable_watchdog = true, String brokerAddress = DEFAULT_BROKER_ADDRESS_SECURE_AUTH, uint16_t brokerPort = DEFAULT_BROKER_PORT_SECURE_AUTH);
     #else
-    int begin(ConnectionHandler & connection, String brokerAddress = DEFAULT_BROKER_ADDRESS_USER_PASS_AUTH, uint16_t brokerPort = DEFAULT_BROKER_PORT_USER_PASS_AUTH);
+    int begin(ConnectionHandler & connection, bool const enable_watchdog = true, String brokerAddress = DEFAULT_BROKER_ADDRESS_USER_PASS_AUTH, uint16_t brokerPort = DEFAULT_BROKER_PORT_USER_PASS_AUTH);
     #endif
-    int begin(String brokerAddress = DEFAULT_BROKER_ADDRESS_SECURE_AUTH, uint16_t brokerPort = DEFAULT_BROKER_PORT_SECURE_AUTH);
+    int begin(bool const enable_watchdog = true, String brokerAddress = DEFAULT_BROKER_ADDRESS_SECURE_AUTH, uint16_t brokerPort = DEFAULT_BROKER_PORT_SECURE_AUTH);
 
     #ifdef BOARD_ESP
     inline void setBoardId        (String const device_id) { setDeviceId(device_id); }
diff --git a/src/utility/watchdog/Watchdog.cpp b/src/utility/watchdog/Watchdog.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9cabf4d15
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/utility/watchdog/Watchdog.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+/*
+   This file is part of ArduinoIoTCloud.
+
+   Copyright 2020 ARDUINO SA (http://www.arduino.cc/)
+
+   This software is released under the GNU General Public License version 3,
+   which covers the main part of arduino-cli.
+   The terms of this license can be found at:
+   https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.en.html
+
+   You can be released from the requirements of the above licenses by purchasing
+   a commercial license. Buying such a license is mandatory if you want to modify or
+   otherwise use the software for commercial activities involving the Arduino
+   software without disclosing the source code of your own applications. To purchase
+   a commercial license, send an email to license@arduino.cc.
+*/
+
+/******************************************************************************
+ * INCLUDE
+ ******************************************************************************/
+
+#include "Watchdog.h"
+
+/******************************************************************************
+ * GLOBAL VARIABLES
+ ******************************************************************************/
+
+static bool is_watchdog_enabled = false;
+
+/******************************************************************************
+ * FUNCTION DEFINITION
+ ******************************************************************************/
+
+#ifdef ARDUINO_ARCH_SAMD
+void samd_watchdog_enable()
+{
+  is_watchdog_enabled = true;
+  Watchdog.enable(SAMD_WATCHDOG_MAX_TIME_ms);
+}
+
+void samd_watchdog_reset()
+{
+  if (is_watchdog_enabled) {
+    Watchdog.reset();
+  }
+}
+
+/* This function is called within the WiFiNINA library when invoking
+ * the method 'connectBearSSL' in order to prevent a premature bite
+ * of the watchdog (max timeout on SAMD is 16 s). wifi_nina_feed...
+ * is defined a weak function there and overwritten by this "strong"
+ * function here.
+ */
+void wifi_nina_feed_watchdog()
+{
+  samd_watchdog_reset();
+}
+#endif /* ARDUINO_ARCH_SAMD */
diff --git a/src/utility/watchdog/Watchdog.h b/src/utility/watchdog/Watchdog.h
index 9f81e372a..6cdcf307a 100644
--- a/src/utility/watchdog/Watchdog.h
+++ b/src/utility/watchdog/Watchdog.h
@@ -22,9 +22,24 @@
  * INCLUDE
  ******************************************************************************/
 
+#include <AIoTC_Config.h>
+
+/******************************************************************************
+ * PREPROCESSOR SECTION
+ ******************************************************************************/
+
 #ifdef ARDUINO_ARCH_SAMD
 #  include <Adafruit_SleepyDog.h>
 #  define SAMD_WATCHDOG_MAX_TIME_ms (16 * 1000)
 #endif /* ARDUINO_ARCH_SAMD */
 
+/******************************************************************************
+ * FUNCTION DECLARATION
+ ******************************************************************************/
+
+#ifdef ARDUINO_ARCH_SAMD
+void samd_watchdog_enable();
+void samd_watchdog_reset();
+#endif /* ARDUINO_ARCH_SAMD */
+
 #endif /* ARDUINO_AIOTC_UTILITY_WATCHDOG_H_ */