Direwolves: Where are they now? We catch you up on the Stark family pets
By Corey Smith
4. Shaggydog
After the shocking death of Grey Wind, it would be another three seasons before another of the beloved Stark direwolves would die. Rickon Stark’s direwolf Shaggydog was apparently killed by Umber soldiers in an attempt to win the favor of the new Warden of the North, Ramsay Bolton. As the direwolf of the youngest Stark child, Shaggydog was every bit as unruly as Rickon, as the young boy struggled to cope first with his family members leaving, and later with them dying.
Shaggydog was Rickon’s rock during the tumultuous first three seasons. The direwolf remained with Rickon despite requests for him to be confined to a kennel for his unruliness, and accompanied Rickon and Bran north after the boys were forced to flee Winterfell in the wake of Theon Greyjoy’s takeover.
After encountering Jon and Tormund’s wildling band on their way north, Shaggydog joined Summer and wreaked havoc on the wildlings, allowing Jon to escape back to Castle Black. Shaggydog and Rickon soon after departed for the Last Hearth, as the stronghold of House Umber was thought to be a safer alternative to following Bran north of the Wall. Unfortunately, it proved to be a trap, and the direwolf was murdered by the turncoat Umbers, and his head presented to Ramsay Bolton as a token of fealty and proof of Rickon’s identity.
