Doberman attacks spiked in the 1970s, when the breed's popularity grew. But in 2008, an 8-month-old baby was killed by his family's pet Doberman in Brooklyn, N.Y. Neighbors said that while the child was lying on a blanket, the dog pounced and clamped his jaws around the boy's tiny head. The baby's grandmother couldn't pry the dog off the child.
The American Kennel Club, or AKC, says Dobermans can be affectionate, obedient and loyal.