Since you're reading this on the Internet, chances are you have already encountered this Shiba dog with a mischievous look on his face on one platform or another. Cheems is a highly popular 'Ironic Doge' character, and his distinctive grin has appeared in some of the most beloved online memes.
Known for liking cheeseburgers – pronounced 'Cheemsburger' – classic Cheems memes generally see the fluffy good boi including extra M letters in his spelling, to humorous effect. Internet culture wiki page called Know Your Meme chases Cheems’ origins back to September 4th, 2017, when a picture of a beautiful, quirky Shiba Inu was uploaded on Instagram but very few people probably know anything about the famous pup.
His name is actually Balltze, and we got in touch with him (well, not exactly, it was his owner who spoke to Bored Panda, but the two of them probably have such a strong bond that they communicate through each other).
"I'm a 9-year-old Shiba Inu living in Hong Kong, and I was adopted into my family when I was just one," Balltze told Bored Panda. "I am very quiet and when I'm at home, I am very well-behaved and very friendly towards my family but when I go out, I can be a little edgy."
Balltze said his owner learned about the meme at the beginning of last year when people started leaving comments on his Instagram account saying something along the lines of 'I don't know who this guy is, but he looks like he's made of CHEESE'.
"With my Cheems persona, I have the superpower of being virtually anyone," Balltze said. "I kinda enjoy that! Plus, a lot of my Internet friends send me messages, telling me that I cured their depression and brought joy with my memes. I'm very happy I can do that."
Balltze knows his memes have contributed to making the Shiba Inu a popular dog breed, but wanted to remind everyone that a lot of awesome pups can be found in shelters too. "If you are planning to get a Shiba Inu, please consider taking a glimpse at your local dog shelter before buying from pet shops. You may find uncut gems like me ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)."
