Heartbreaking story behind this photo of two 'patient' dogs

An image of two dogs “waiting patiently for their master to return” has moved many people online after it was revealed their owner had died recently.

Graeme Bowden‎ who shared the picture taken at Purlewaugh, in northeast New South Wales, in Facebook group One Day Closer to Rain (Drought) wrote: “How faithful and loyal are these beautiful creatures?”

Mr Bowden said the dogs’ master, Bill Redden, was a “thorough gentleman” and died about seven weeks ago. He was 81.

“He just loved his dogs. They were everything to him,” Mr Bowden told Yahoo7.

Mr Bowden said he had been shearing Mr Redden’s sheep for about 20 years and was still helping out around his property.

“I’ve been out helping the manager shear the sheep and mustering for him because these dogs only worked for Bill,” he said.

It was earlier on Thursday he spotted the dogs and spent about 20 minutes patting and talking to them, adding he had tears in his eyes.

“They were just out the front sitting at the garage there next to his house,” Mr Bowden said.

“It just touched me so much.”

Mr Bowden will look after one of the dogs, a farm hand will take another and the manager named Ron will care for the third one.

“About a week before he passed Ron was in Sydney with him and Bill was in palliative care and was so worried about his dogs and what would happen to them,” Mr Bowden wrote online.

He added when Mr Redden was told who would look after his mates a smile came over his face.

“It would have been a weight lifted from him knowing his great mates, his dogs, would be looked after,” a Facebook user wrote.

“What a wonderful thing to do for your friend, and allow him to die in peace, knowing his beloved dogs would be safe,” another person commented.

“This story while sad also brings joy in knowing these dogs will be cared for,” a third said.

“I am crying. So glad they are going to be cared for. R.I.P Bill,” a different person commented.