The neck is extremely muscular and thick, slightly arched, rather high set, and blends smoothly into the shoulders. The neck is of moderate length but appears short due to its extreme thickness. There is an observable dewlap on the neck and throat. Shoulder blades are flat and approximately equal in length to the upper arms. The tips of the shoulder blades are fairly close together.
Elbows are close to the body, with the point of elbow set under the withers.
The forelegs are straight, heavy-boned, and very muscular. Viewed from the front, the forelegs are parallel and moderately wide. Viewed from the side, the pasterns are short, powerful and slightly sloping. Excessive or lack of adequate angulation. The body is massive and muscular but sufficiently agile to navigate mountainous terrain.