Nice catch. The exile element definitely fits in with Arya's story.

I think it's too spot on to be a stretch. GRRM is a writer, surely he would know what a shaggy dog story is and wouldn't name a wolf Shaggydog unintentionally, for example.

The direwolves definitely have meaning. Each one is a prophecy of sorts, some of which have been fully realized and some of which are still in progress. Robb had Greywind and Robb came quick and died quick, much like a wind. Bran had Summer. Summer was killed by the White Walker army just as Winter officially began.…