{"slug":"buff-doge-vs-cheems","name":"Buff Doge vs Cheems","url":"/templates/buff-doge-vs-cheems.png","w":937,"h":720,"top":"THEN VS NOW","bottom":"","description":"Turn any \"then vs now\" comparison into a Buff Doge vs Cheems meme. Muscular doge (the past) vs wimpy Cheems (the present). They don't make 'em like they used to.","keywords":"buff doge meme, cheems meme, doge comparison, then vs now meme, swole doge","year":2019,"origin":"Combines two Shiba Inu characters: muscular \"Swole Doge\" on the left representing something from the past that was tough, cool, or hardcore, versus tiny, sad \"Cheems\" on the right representing the modern, watered-down equivalent. The format is pure nostalgia vs. reality. For other comparison formats, try Drake Hotline Bling or Tuxedo Winnie The Pooh.","format":"template","textBoxes":[{"label":"Buff Doge Title","x":1,"y":1,"w":45,"h":10,"placeholder":"The strong version","fontFamily":"Arial","fontColor":"#000000","strokeWidth":0,"isBold":true,"isItalic":false,"isAllCaps":false,"textAlign":"center","fontSize":34,"opacity":1},{"label":"Cheems Title","x":57,"y":1,"w":42,"h":14,"placeholder":"The weak version","fontFamily":"Arial","fontColor":"#000000","strokeWidth":0,"isBold":true,"isItalic":false,"isAllCaps":false,"textAlign":"center","fontSize":34,"opacity":1},{"label":"Buff Doge Label","x":0,"y":74,"w":46,"h":18,"placeholder":"What they did/had","fontFamily":"Arial","fontColor":"#000000","strokeWidth":0,"isBold":true,"isItalic":false,"isAllCaps":false,"textAlign":"center","fontSize":34,"opacity":1},{"label":"Cheems Label","x":58,"y":74,"w":41,"h":18,"placeholder":"What we do/have now","fontFamily":"Arial","fontColor":"#000000","strokeWidth":0,"isBold":true,"isItalic":false,"isAllCaps":false,"textAlign":"center","fontSize":34,"opacity":1}],"howToMake":["The Buff Doge vs Cheems template is loaded with 4 text fields: a title and label for each side","Fill in the Buff Doge side (left) with the strong, impressive, or old-school version, and the Cheems side (right) with the weak, modern, or pathetic version","Top titles name each side above the dogs, bottom descriptions go beneath. Buff Doge on the left, sad Cheems on the right","Black bold text on the white background reads cleanly, but try different fonts if your \"then vs now\" comparison needs more personality","Nostalgia complete? Hit Download for a PNG or use Share to send your generational comparison out into the world"],"exampleCaptions":["Dads in the 80s","Dads now","Built a deck with no instructions","Needs a YouTube tutorial to hang a shelf"],"exampleAltText":"Buff Doge vs Cheems meme comparing dads in the 80s who built decks with no instructions vs dads now who need YouTube tutorials to hang a shelf","exampleRefreshDate":"2026-02-22","seo":{"aliases":["Swole Doge vs Cheems","Then vs Now Dog","Buff Doge Meme","Strong Doge Weak Doge","Chad Doge vs Virgin Cheems"],"description":"On the left, a massively muscular, heroic-looking Shiba Inu (Swole Doge) stands tall, absolutely jacked and unshakeable. On the right cowers a small, sad, wimpy Shiba Inu (Cheems), looking pathetic by comparison. The format is pure nostalgia goggles — comparing something from the past (strong, cool, impressive) to its modern equivalent (weak, lame, disappointing).","definition":"Everything used to be tougher, cooler, and more impressive — or at least that's what this meme argues. A jacked Shiba Inu (Buff Doge) represents the old-school version of something, while a tiny, crying Shiba Inu (Cheems) represents today's sad equivalent.","useCases":[{"category":"Then vs Now","examples":["Kids in the 90s: played outside until dark / Kids now: screen time limit reached, existential crisis","Phones in 2005: survived a drop from a 3-story building / Phones now: screen cracks if you look at it wrong","Internet in 2005: waited 10 minutes to load one image / Internet now: rage quits if a page takes 3 seconds","Cartoons then: actual storylines and life lessons / Cartoons now: random noises and bright colors","Alarm clocks then: one alarm, you woke up / Alarm clocks now: 14 alarms, still late"]},{"category":"Generational Comparisons","examples":["Grandpa: walked 5 miles in the snow to school / Me: considers driving to the mailbox","Ancient warriors: conquered empires / Me: can't conquer getting out of bed before noon","Boomers: bought a house at 25 / Millennials: bought a houseplant at 25 and it died","People in the 1800s: survived with no electricity / Me: panics when my phone hits 15%","Explorers: sailed across uncharted oceans / Me: anxious about driving to a new restaurant"]},{"category":"Work & Career","examples":["The job listing: requires 2 years experience / The job: requires 10 years and a PhD for entry level","Interview me: confident, professional, prepared / Actual me: Googles how to send a fax","LinkedIn profile: innovative thought leader / Reality: eats lunch alone at desk watching YouTube","Resume: proficient in Microsoft Office / Reality: can make the text bigger in Word","The CEO: makes tough decisions under pressure / Me: takes 20 minutes to decide what to eat for lunch"]},{"category":"Gaming","examples":["Gamers in 2005: beat games with no guides / Gamers now: watches a walkthrough before starting the tutorial","Old games: came complete on the disc / New games: day-one patch is bigger than the game","Retro bosses: memorized every pattern / Modern bosses: watches a YouTube guide after one death","LAN parties: hauled entire PCs to a friend's house / Online gaming: too lazy to plug in a headset","Old cheat codes: up up down down left right / New cheat codes: $9.99 per item"]},{"category":"Fitness & Health","examples":["Athletes: trains 6 hours a day, strict diet / Me: out of breath tying my shoes","Gym bros: 5am workout, cold plunge, no excuses / Me: considers walking to the fridge a rep","Marathon runners: 26 miles without stopping / Me: 26 steps to the bathroom feels like a journey","Meal prep champions: perfectly portioned containers / Me: eats cereal for dinner 3 nights in a row","Yoga masters: inner peace and flexibility / Me: pulls a muscle reaching for the remote"]},{"category":"Relationships & Social","examples":["How I text my crush: carefully crafted, reviewed by 3 friends / How I text my best friend: incomprehensible keyboard smash","Dating in the 50s: showed up with flowers / Dating now: sends a fire emoji and hopes for the best","My friend's relationship: cute couples photos / My relationship: arguing about whose turn it is to order food","Socializing expectations: charming and witty / Socializing reality: stands near the snack table in silence","Confident people: make small talk effortlessly / Me: rehearses 'hi' 4 times before saying it"]},{"category":"Animals & Pets","examples":["Wolves: apex predators, feared by all / My dog: scared of the vacuum and a plastic bag","Wild cats: stealthy hunters of the savanna / My cat: can't land a jump from the couch to the table","Guard dogs: protect the house from intruders / My dog: barks at his own reflection","Raptors: terrifying dinosaurs / Chickens: their descendants, afraid of everything","Sharks: kings of the ocean / Goldfish: forgets where it is every 3 seconds"]}]}}