Meet the 'bestest boys' on Game of Thrones

Fans of the show may know them as Summer and Grey Wind, but their actual names are Odin and Thor and they live in Northern Ireland. Their owners (who also happen to be a part of the hit HBO show) tell us what it takes to look after these furry celebrities - massages, facials et al

Just a few weeks ago - spoilers from the eighth season ahead! - Jon Snow decided to part ways with his direwolf, Ghost, in HBO's Game of Thrones (GoT), and the Internet erupted. There were tears, memes and extreme reactions, from 'Ghost deserves better' to 'I'd rather root for Cersei over Jon Snow now'. Is changing allegiances and even houses a little too harsh over a pet? Not for GoT fans!
To understand the loyalty, one has to go back to the beginning. In many ways, GoT begins with the direwolves (creatures that are part of the wolf family in the fantasy series); in the pilot episode, Ned Stark and his family discover six pups. He initially plans to kill them out of mercy (as the pups wouldn't survive without their mother) but his children convince him these pups are an omen as direwolves also happen to be the sigil of House Stark. Since then, each of the children has adopted a direwolf. These loyal creatures have protected them, fought alongside them and even died for them. As many of the fans speculate, the Stark family's lives are intertwined with the wolves.
A few weeks ago, on a trip to Castle Ward in Northern Ireland (which, ironically, is the setting for much of the filming of Winterfell in the series), we happened to run into Odin and Thor. Famous for playing the roles of Bran and Robb Stark's wolves respectively, Summer and Grey Wind are not actually wolves but dogs. And their owners, the Mulhall family, are just as invested in the show as they are. Excerpts from an interview with William Mulhall:
How did you end up adopting Odin and Thor?
A friend of a friend owned Odin and Thor's mother. I had always wanted a larger dog and my father had experience with raising big dogs. When we heard that these beautiful dogs were being born, it didn't take much convincing to bring one home. and then another one followed. Odin and Thor are brothers who played together when they were pups so we decided to take them both. The breed is Northen Inuit, a wolf-lookalike that works better than actual wolves for film sets.
How did you get involved with Game of Thrones?
My whole family has been involved with the show. Our dad, William Senior, was a Dothraki slave master in six episodes of season one around the same time Odin and Thor began filming. Dad originally took us for the casting but we were too young for the scenes. We did build a boat that my brother Ross sailed in, in season five, to save Jon Snow from the Night King. From there, we were involved in battle scenes (we played Wildlings). We pulled the dragon out of the lake in season seven and were the first of three wights to walk through the wall. When season eight came around, I got a role as one of Tormund's men, my brother Ross got a job as a camera trainee assistant and our other brother Caelan got a job in the casting department, casting extras. It's a whole family affair now!
How did the GoT cast bond with the dogs?
The cast absolutely loved the pups. They even tried to take them back to their green room between camera set-ups. The trainers went looking for them once only to find the puppies running around with the young cast. Despite the fun, the trainers had to keep the pups focused with treats of chicken while shooting.
Tell us more about their training.
When we got Odin and Thor back after the filming, they could sit and speak on command. They had perfected every basic dog training requirement like toilet training and walking on a lead. They still speak on command, all these years later.
What's it like to look after these furry celebrities?
Odin and Thor know they're famous, especially when they meet all the fans on our Game of Thrones Direwolves tour. They just lie there and sleep while people from across the world marvel in their majesty. The 'direwolves' get groomed regularly and often have facials and massages. Their diet is never dog food but raw foods like steak and fish with vegetables and eggs to give them great nutrition. It's very similar to a diet they would have if they still lived in the wild. Odin and Thor also run a couple of miles a day on the beaches and mountains close to our home.
A lot of people might be intimidated to approach Odin and Thor, because of their size. What would you say to these people?
I often say they're used to people as they've met over 500,000 fans. They're gentle giants. That being said, always ask the owner before approaching a dog you don't know. It's just respectful.
How important would you say the direwolves are in the Game of Thrones universe?
They're not just companions for the Stark children - they've also protected them and fought by their side in battles. If Summer didn't attack the assassin sent to kill young Bran, then the dagger used to kill the Night King would never have been found! Each direwolf name is a hint at the fate of each Stark child. The direwolves are also one of the main reasons some people started watching Game of Thrones.
janice@khaleejtimes.com