Climbrx, I used to live in Waltham and am familiar with dogs in our area.

First off, the notion that GSP's are all the time hunters and Vizsla's are more owner attached is not exactly true. Dogs, like people, have individual personalities that are as varied within breeds as across them. The good thing is you have thougt a lot about what type of dog you would like to own. The next step is to start researching breeders. Quite a few years back I bought a GSP out of a kennel in Athol Mass I think it was. She was a smallish female that wasn't the most confident in the litter. Not the typical dog I would gravitate to, but after a few visits and meeting the bitch and sire I chose her. She turned out to be a very good hunter and took to training very well. She always was a bit nervous around new people and took awhile to feel comfortable around them and I had her fixed as she was not what you would consider perfect in her temperment. Not a biter or barker.. just avoided contact with new people. She loved to run, but would sit quietly on a bass boat while I fished and loved when I went mountain biking or hiking, she never had to be called back, always stayed close. She was a perfect house dog, never once chewing anything and as long as I ran her once a day she was always happy an not hyper. The only thing she wasn't was social with people she didn't know. Not a problem in my book, as I have a Springer now who loves everyone.

I have hunted over 2 friends Vizla's here in the North East. 1 of them a guy in Medford. He was an excellent dog in the field and home, but very high energy. Much more than my GSP I had here in Mass. Not one you could take hiking without constantly callign back, and if you took him rock climbing, he'd either have climbed the wall or met you at the top. The female I knew was a sweetheart, and not much of a hunter. A bit of a boot licker in the field. She'd point, but damn near would have to step on a bird to go on point. Great house dog, a bit to sensitive as she handled stress poorly .. but very sweet. I don't believe she came from field lines as claimed.

I have owned several GSP's, the best were dogs from Washington state that had great lines, and as I said have hunted over and trained 2 Vizlas, and the only advise I can give knowing exactly where you live is to do some serious research and meet several breeders and their dogs. Look for the temperments in the breeding stock you would like in your new dog. I don't think we have near the hunting bloodlines locally as exist in some areas of the country. I would be less concerned with the breed in your case, and be much more concerned with the breeder and the bloodlines and quality of their dogs.