Enumclaw resident Lisa Nonog and her Manchester terrier, Flea, will be in Long Beach, Calif., this weekend, squaring off against the swiftest, most agile dogs in the nation.

The Plateau duo will be vying for the top spot at the prestigious American Kennel Club Agility Invitational.

Nonog and her four-legged pal will be competing in the timed agility course, off-leash, striving for a perfect score of 100. Any missed obstacles or other mistakes result in penalty faults, which are deductedfrom the score.

Agility, billed as the AKC’s fastest-growing canine sport, allows dogs to demonstrate their nimble nature and versatility by maneuvering a challenging course of obstacles, including tunnels, weave poles, jumps and see-saws. The top five ranked agility dogs in each of the 158 AKC recognized breeds are invited to attend the Long Beach show.

The event will eventually be televised on Animal Planet, slated for early 2009.