@Kembe, nice post! We've gone to solid food chopped up in a food processor, but we're grinding it a bit more course as we go. So far, no puppies are choking, but good to know!
The golden I used to have did similar things w/her ears/eyes when I approached w/a leash. It was a habit formed from years of me sliding a new collar on with the leash attached. She'd squint and pull her ears back in anticipation of the collar being slid over her head.
The smile? I never got that.
