Dahlia Problem

Are you sure that these are `buds` and not the dead flower heads. They look very similar, but the dead flower heads are wet and squishy when you squeeze them, they need deadheading regularly.

No they are not dead, but maybe I should cut them all off and see if the plant regenerates in good health again?

By the way, how do you deadhead Dahlia's?

I Just cut off the dead flower head back to the next pair of leaves.