Meiken Cheese, also known as Cheese the Wise Dog or Cheese the Super Watchdog, is a light brown canine with short rabbit-shaped ears and a dark brown tail tip; his ears appeared darker in early manga and picture books. He lives in a loaf-shaped doghouse at Uncle Jam's bakery, which includes his own food and water bowls. His story began as a starving puppy rescued by Anpanman on his first forest patrol; Batako later named him "Cheese" at the bakery. Though his specific breed is unidentified, early artistic designs resembled a Basset Hound.

Cheese possesses keen intelligence, understanding human language and performing tasks on par with other characters. He communicates mainly through barks, which the bakery residents comprehend due to their close bond and his reputation as a "wise dog." Early manga depicted him speaking in full sentences followed by "woof," though the anime transitioned to barking only. His personality mixes exaggerated silliness for comedy with sincere bravery, often rushing into peril to support Anpanman. He has a notably large appetite, devouring food eagerly, and sometimes shows laziness in evading chores.

His primary skill is an extraordinary sense of smell, allowing him to track people across great distances. He helps with bakery duties, drives the Anpanman-Go vehicle, and acts as the main spotter for SOS signals. He often carries or tosses Anpanman’s replacement heads during missions. Originally moving on four legs, he gradually adopted consistent upright walking while still sitting and sleeping in classic canine poses.

His connections include a close friendship with Butterko and a romantic interest named Rare Cheese. Cheese’s role and traits remain consistent across episodes, films, and other media, such as "Sore Ike! Anpanman: Bokura wa Hero" and "Happy no Daibōken." In the film "Eiga Soreike! Anpanman Dororin to Bakeru Carnival," he appears among other central characters.