Have you considered whether you've given your dog a reason to respond to your requests?
I got to thinking just how simple it should be to have a cooperative dog, so why do our dogs so often ignore us?
The other day, as I watched one of my clients call her dog and as he sat looking up at her expectantly, I had a flashback to many years ago.
When my youngest daughter was about three, she had a little game that she thought was hysterical. I would be driving the car and from the back, I would hear,
"Mummy?"
"Yes?"
"Mum? Mummy?"
"Yes?"
"Mum?"
"Yes?" (This could go on indefinitely)... I knew what was coming by now!
"NOTHING!" Ha ha ha!
After a while, particularly if my mind was elsewhere, I would ignore her. I may not even hear her anymore.
An owner calls his dog to him, "Buster - Come!" Buster runs over to him.
Nothing.
Or, "Buster, Here.....Sit". Buster comes, sits, and looks up at the man expectantly.
Nothing.
On a walk, a woman calls her dog to her. He may come running to her a few times, but if each time it's "nothing", will he keep on running to her?
Give him a reason
My train of thought here is just how many people expect obedience or cooperation from their dog whilst offering their dog no reason that he can see for doing as requested - and certainly, there is nothing in it for him.
Why don't people like to carry food with them on walks? How can people 'not believe in using food', like rewarding their dog is akin to worshipping the devil; or feel that thanking their dog for doing as asked is bribery? These are usually people still with old-school ideas that if the dog does not do as asked, then there will be a punishing consequence.
Converting them over to allowing their dogs to earn some of their food in return for willing cooperation is something I need to do with many of my clients, some of whom are resistant. Call the dog by all means but give him a reason why - a treat or a game or praise or anything he values. Payment.
Certainly not just "Nothing!", or even worse, something he doesn't want at all, like a lead going on or being sent to his bed.
Ask him to sit if that's what you want - but let him know what he's sitting for. "Nothing" a few times will simply teach your dog to ignore you. You could call it 'crying wolf'.
Sooner or later, particularly if his mind is on something else or his head is down a rabbit hole, your dog may well not even hear you at all. In comparison to everything else on offer at the time, in order of importance, you will be somewhere near the bottom.
Here is the story of such a dog who was expected to obey with no 'thank you.'