Free: Contests & Raffles.
Get the book "Water Dog" by Richard Wolters. Not his books Game Dog or Gun Dog. Water Dog. It will give you the elements necessary to train your dog for water retrieves. There are many excellent training programs out there, Smartworks being one of them, but Wolters book is straightforward and simple and will help you turn your dog into a meat dog over the water. The book will set you back around 20 bucks and if you can't find it at your local bookstore it is available on Amazon.
T-Bone- Yes, I have gotten all the proper licensing and have been using only steel shot. Ignorance is no excuse for not following the law.
I don't know your location, but Washington Waterfowl is a great organization with local chapters with nice people (not just cranky old men) who can assist you in becoming a better waterfowl hunter:http://www.wwa.shuttlepod.org/