Louis has a brown stain around his mouth and on his front paws - I have been told that this is because of saliva.  Does anyone know how I can clean him up and what really causes it?

Yes, saliva stains start off pinkish then darken to quite a deep brown. The best cure is prevention - find out why the dog's licking an area and cure the irritation - no licking, no saliva stain! It's more difficult around the mouth because naturally dogs dribble a bit and lick their lips, without there being a problem. The only way I've found to gradually remove the staining is to bathe the stain in a solution of bicarbonate of soda. It's not a quick fix (can take some weeks) but it does work.

I have had 2 westies and both of them have had brown stains around their mouths, i personally dont have a problem with it and neither do the dogs. I heard somewhere that it is caused by saliva but its not been caused by a saliva problem as such, in my opinion its just a thing that westies get, its not harmful or ugly its just a westie, in my opinion anyway.

Thanks for your responses.  I think it adds character but just wondered if it was something I was feeding him.  I'll try the bi-carb soda on his paws and see how that works.

My westie has brown stains on her, doesnt bother me, she is also one of those dogs  that will roll in allsorts so she is never clean , I still love her though.

Yes, mine too likes getting muddy, they are difficult to keep clean.  But as you say lovely with it.

My blue roan cocker has this as well---he went pink 1st, and the groomer took one look at him and said he looks like a westie!

I was really lucky my westie I had as a child never had any of this stains but the amount I get through for grooming with them is a nightmare.  I usually apply baby shampoo and leave it on for 5 minutes before shampooing off.  It does lessen it but doesnt get rid of it.  I think it is a westie trait that they hate being white.  Lucy used to love nothing more than after being groomed rolling in something.  The other week I did one who thought it would be amusing having made me spent two hours washing clipping and drying it to rub its head all along the flower beds .  The owner laughed at him but personally I could have murdered him ;)