Since adopting an Australian labradoodle a few months ago, Luke Kanies has felt a little sheepish that his new pet, Westley, doesn’t align with his nonconformist lifestyle.
Mr. Kanies stands out as a tech entrepreneur with pierced ears and a mind-set that comes from growing up on a hippie commune. His four-legged companion vanishes in the hordes of “doodle dogs”—canines that are part poodle and part other breeds—that populate the parks of Portland, Ore. Almost all of them have curly coats and button noses, making Westley far from unique.