With Matilda I would always say "gentle sweetheart" and hold her hand and pet the dog/cat gently. Then I would demonstrate patting Matilda like she was a dog and say "good Matilda puppy dog" and it would become a game, she would pat me and say mummy puppy and I would pat the dogs & we would play at patting gently for a while. If ever she continued to be rough I would separate her from the animal and leave them separate for around an hour, by which time she'd forgotten all about what was going on.

Lately she's been hitting a bit & we usually put her down or say "ow! That hurt" and put her down or turn away and distract.

HTH!