Honestly - I usually can't see the eyes either, but I cut them so that I have a bit of the stalk on each tuber - and that usually does it. I had been told that if you cut the dahlias down to about 8" tall after the first killing frost, and then leave them for another week or so, the eyes will show up much better. I never seem to time it right, but they seem to almost all sprout anyway. I do pre-start them inside in the spring - that way I don't plant any complete duds.(and there are always a few that just don't sprout) I would have a hard time finding the space to store them as big clumps. I have 100 plants in this year - that is going to be a lot of tubers to deal with!
I had more earwigs this year than I have ever seen on the dahlias. I was using Sluggo Plus, but I don't think the earwigs were going back to the ground once they found nicely furled petals to hide in. I too rarely have bug problems on the flowers with more saturated colors, but the light pinks seem to be as attractive as the whites in my yard.
I have extremely sandy soil and have added lots of composted manure over the years, so the dahlias are very happy. Also makes them easy to plant in the spring and dig in the fall.
That Victoria Ann is lovely - I tried it one year and it didn't do well at all for me, tall spindly plant , small usually misshapen flowers, so I tossed it. Could have just been from bad stock.
