Pizzle is an old English word for penis, derived from Low German pesel or Flemish Dutch pezel, diminutive of pees, meaning 'sinew'. The word is used today to signify the penis of an animal, chiefly in Australia and New Zealand.
It is also known, at least since 1523, especially in the combination "bull pizzle", to denote a flogging instrument made from a bull's penis – compare bullwhip.
In heraldry, the term pizzled (or vilené in French blazon) indicates the depiction or inclusion of an animate charge's genitalia, especially if colored (or "tinctured") differently.
The bear in the coat of arms of Appenzell is represented pizzled, and omission of this feature was seen as a grave insult. In 1579, the pizzle was forgotten by the printer of a calendar printed in Saint Gallen, which brought Appenzell to the brink of war with Saint Gallen.
Pizzles, or Bully Sticks, are almost exclusively used/produced today as chewing treats for dogs.
The pizzle of a bull was commonly rendered for use as glue.
In addition to being used as a dog treat, pizzles are also eaten by humans for their purported health benefits (according to traditional Chinese medicine) such as being low in cholesterol and high in protein, hormones, and vitamins, and minerals such as calcium and magnesium, although little empirical evidence supports these claims. Pizzles for human consumption are prepared either by freezing or by drying.