Schnauzers have distinctive beards and long, feathery eyebrows. They are generally either a salt and pepper colour, black, or white, but they can be brown also. Some owners shave their Schnauzers down the back while the hairs on their legs are kept long and curly, but this may change the coat colour, so show Schnauzers especially will have their back coat "stripped" by hand, to encourage the salt and pepper pattern to emerge. It was traditional to have the tails docked and the ears cropped to give an alert appearance but in other countries like Europe, it is illegal. For working dogs that are ratters, these procedures don't give the rat anything to grab on to when being attacked and therefore cannot fight back. Cropping and docking are now illegal in the European Union, Australia, and New Zealand, and are becoming less common elsewhere. The Schnauzer's beard and leg hair should be brushed often to prevent mats from forming.