Meiken Cheese, alternatively known as Cheese the wise dog or Cheese the super watchdog, began as a lost puppy rescued by Anpanman on his inaugural patrol. Anpanman found the young dog crying alone in the forest, shared his own head to feed him, and brought him back to the bakery where Batako-san named him "Cheese".

Physically, Cheese is a small, light brown dog featuring distinctive rabbit-like ears and a dark brown tail tip. Earlier manga and picture book appearances showed his ears as a darker shade than his body. His posture has evolved throughout the series, shifting from primarily walking on four legs to more frequent upright movement on two legs, though he retains characteristic canine sitting and sleeping postures. He lives in an outdoor loaf-shaped doghouse near Uncle Jam's bakery.

Cheese displays notable intelligence, understanding human language and performing complex tasks comparable to other characters. Despite communicating solely through barks, the bakery residents understand him due to mutual familiarity and his status as a "wise dog". His personality blends comedic and heroic traits; he often provides comic relief through over-dramatic, silly antics, exhibits a large appetite, and shows laziness when avoiding chores. Conversely, he demonstrates bravery by charging into danger to aid Anpanman and frequently handles the critical task of carrying or throwing Anpanman's replacement heads during emergencies.

His primary ability is an exceptionally acute sense of smell, tracking scents to locate individuals or detect SOS signals before others. Within the bakery community, he assists with baking and other duties, maintains a close friendship with Butterko, and shares a romantic connection with Rare Cheese. Cheese appears consistently across the franchise, including as part of the core cast in films such as *Soreike! Anpanman: Kaiketsu Naganegiman to Doremi Hime* and *Soreike! Anpanman: Black Nose to Mahō no Uta*.