Sally down--down--doown--DOWN!

If Max doesn't listen the first time, what I do depends on why he didn't listen. If I think it's because he's too distracted, I will usually put my hand right in his face and give him the hand signal for what I wanted, or I will get in his face with a hand signal for something else to get his attention, and then go back to what I wanted at first. If he's not listening for another reason, like he's trying to test me, to see if he can get what he wants without doing what I ask, I'll usually do something to show him that I am disappointed in him. Sometimes, I use the first, and then progress to the second. For example, if I am holding the leash and asking him to sit before I will put it on and take him out, the first time he doesn't listen, I might ask again with a hand signal, and i'll do the hand signal right at his eye level. If he doesn't do it that time, I might throw the leash on the floor and walk away from him.
If Millie doesn't listen the first time, I find it's more often than not because she is confused about what she is supposed to do, or doesn't think she can do whatever I asked for (like sitting outside on wet ground). So, I just tend to avoid asking for something she won't do.

I try to get Max to sit before we cross the street.  Sometimes he's distracted by something he sees on the other side and I have to tell him 2 or 3 times.  If he still doesn't do it, I just gently push on his fuzzy little butt and it goes down.  Usually by that time there aren't any more cars coming, but if I've told him to sit we don't cross the street until I get the sit I asked him for.

Joyce & Max

Shippo sometimes still tests me on the down, and I just go "nope..." and go to put the treat away... or if Eevee downs and he doesn't, she gets the treat... in both instances, you should see how fast that little body of his hits the floor!  >^^;<

I've got Sofia now doing the sit-down-sit-down thing. I don't always alternate or she just does sit and then lays down with no command and looks at me like "WELL? Where's my treat?"

I have always used hand signals as well as voice, and sometimes run her through things with just the hand signals. If she doesn't go down, I clear my throat--ahhhhhemm, raise my eyebrows and look right at her, and she always obeys at that point. I don't repeat the command. She heard/saw me the first time.

She doesn't push the issue. The only thing she refuses to do is roll over. Dogs hate that trick. She can do it, knows how to do it, but will do every possibly variation, such as spinning, trying a different directional spin, lie down and roll on her back (but not all the way over), run in a circle, etc. She'll even try to "talk" her way out of it! Of course she doesn't get a treat for her prevarications. It's a stupid trick anyway. There are lots more important things we are working on, such as "Leave the rabbit (squirrel, other dog, etc)!"

You're right..... My dog's pretty good with leave it, but not with other animals. One night he was barking outside for three ours straight at a possom. Even calling 'food' and his best friend's name didn't help. We had to carry him away. I wish leave it worked for other animals. He and other animals don't get along. Sadly, he got to a baby bunny.

Well, we tried several of the suggestions when on our walk tonight, and they worked--especially that hand in front of the face when there are distractions and turning my back on her when she doesn't obey--both times I did it she downed on the first command when I turned back around.  We did break our downstay (although she did actually go down on the first "down"), but we're working on it....