Cheems is a Shiba Inu dog who is part of the "doge" genre of internet memes. He is best known for his skeptical face and fondness for cheeseburgers. The canine, real name Balltze and nicknamed Ball Ball by his owner, passed away in August of 2023.
The Cheems dog first appeared online on September 4, 2017, after his owner posted the now-iconic photo of him to his Instagram account, @balltze. Nearly two years later, Reddit user Spicy_Meme_Boi came upon the image and used it to create the first "Cheemsburbger" meme on June 8, 2019.
The meme consisted of a comic in which Cheems appears in the air, says "cheemsburbger," and devours another Shiba Inu's girlfriend whole.
The sub "Dogelore" overwhelmingly approved of the new doge, and two months later, he appeared in another Reddit comic inventing his origin story. His popularity expanded from there until he broke containment and became a sensation across many social media platforms.
As a part of the larger Doge family, Cheems appeared in comparison memes with Swole Doge and in comics with the original Doge dog, often crossing over into other meme genres.
On August 19, 2023, Cheems passed away due to complications that arose during a thoracentesis procedure, which drains fluid from around the lungs. Balltze had been diagnosed with cancer and his owner Kathy had been planning a round of chemotherapy, but instead had to announce his passing to his many thousands of Instagram followers.
"Don’t be sad, please remember the joy that Balltze brought to the world,” she wrote. “A Shiba Inu with a round smiling face connecting you and me, he has helped many people during the pandemic and brought a lot of joy to many of you, but now his mission has been completed."
Cheems often appeared in memes, typically in comic form, with the original doge dog, Kabosu. The Cheems dog usually played a more cynical, subdued, or less competent part to the sweet and optimistic Kabosu, resulting in an amusing dynamic that struggling millennials found relatable.
People frequently confuse one Doge for another or assume they are the same dog, but Balltze wasn't added to the genre until several years after Kabosu started the meme. Kabosu also walked the rainbow bridge to the farm on May 24, 2024.
Perhaps the most recognizable form of Cheems is the image of him with a baseball bat bonking people and other characters on the head. The gag was often paired with instructions to report to "horny jail."
This Cheems meme began with an Instagram video by user @snootboopes posted on July 13, 2019, showing an unrelated Shiba Inu receiving a blow to the head with a hammer accompanied by a "bonk" sound. It was only a matter of time before the "bonk" became associated with a doge, and that doge would be Cheems.
Another common Cheems meme featured Balltze in comparison with the jacked Swole Doge. People used this format to make comparisons between time periods, individuals, groups of people, popular media, or any other instance of the superiority of one thing to another.
Cheems, of course, represents the weaker, inferior option due to his passive and hesitant demeanor.
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